EFFECT OF SUBSTITUTING MAIZE WITH CASSAVA PEEL ON THE PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKEN

Egbewande, O.O., Ibrahim, H., Labaran, A. and Aliyu, Z.

Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture,

Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria.

E-mail:femi2015.ooe@gmail.com, zahradeen55@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to examine the effect of substituting maize for cassava peal on the overall performances of Broiler chickens. A control diet was formulated with 100% maize as an energy source and 0% of the test ingredient (cassava peal meal). Another four diets were formulated by substituting maize with cassava peal meal at different dietary inclusion level.  Treatments 2,3,4and 5 contained 25% cassava peel meal and 75% maize; 50% cassava peel meal and 50% maize; 75% cassava peel meal and 25% maize; and 100%cassava peel meal and 0% maize, respectively. Two hundred (200) unsexed day-old broiler chicks were used for the experiment. The birds were allotted into five (5) dietary treatments with four (4) replicates each in a completely randomized design (CRD). Feed and water were offered adlibitum and the experiment lasted for eight weeks. It was observed that significant (p<0.05) differences were recorded in the final body weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. The values for cost of feed, cost of feed consume per bird and feed cost per weight gained differs significantly (p<0.05) across the dietary treatment level.  Cost of feed decreased with an increased level of cassava peel. Highest cost (N136.40)of feed produced was obtained in Treatment 1 while the least cost (N133.23)of feed produced was obtained in Treatment 5. The study showed that broilers could be raised on cassava peel meal at inclusion level of 25%-75% without having any statistical adverse effect on the growth performance. Substituting maize for cassava peel meal at 50%-75% inclusion proved to be more economical in terms of economics of production.

Keywords: Broiler Chickens, Cassava Peel, Cost Benefit, Growth Performance