Performance of broilers fed different combinations of Bambara groundnut offal, cassava root meal and yam peels as energy source

Abstract

Feeding trials were conducted with broiler starters and finishers to determine the effect of replacing maize with three combination ratios of bambara groundnut offal (BGO), cassava root meal (CRM) and yam peels (YP). Four broiler starter diets were formulated such that maize which made up 50% of the control diet (diet S ₁) was completely replaced in the three subsequent diets by BGO, CRM and YP combined in the ratios 3:5:2 (diet S ₂), 5:2:3 (diet S ₃) and 2:3:5 (S ₄) respectively. Thereafter, each diet was randomly assigned to 3 replicates of 8, one-week-old broilers. The feeding trial lasted four weeks. Similarly, four broiler finisher diets were formulated such that combinations of BGO, CRM, and YP as in the broiler starter diets completely replaced the 60% maize of control diet (F ₁) in diets F ₂, F ₃ and F ₄ respectively. Eighty-four, 5 weeks old broilers were then divided into four groups of 21 birds each. Each group was randomly assigned to one of the broiler finisher diets; each group was further subdivided into 3 replicates of 7 birds each. The finisher phase lasted four weeks. At the starter phase, average daily feed intakes were 42.85, 57.21, 65.80 and 65.03g. Average daily weight gains 24.29, 18.21,21.43 and 21.79g, while feed conversion ratios (FCR) were 1.76, 3.14, 3.07 and 2.85 for broilers on diets S ₁, S ₂, S ₃ and S ₄ respectively. Average daily feed intakes were significantly (p<0.05) higher in S ₃ and S ₄ than S ₁ and S ₂. Results obtained also indicated that average daily feed intake were 118.7, 109. 74, 135.11 and 123.74g; average daily weight gain were 35.14, 21.80, 29.39 and 30.97g; FCR were 3.35, 5.03, 4.60 and 4.00 for broilers fed diets F ₁ F ₂ F ₃ and F ₄ respectively. The average daily feed intake of F ₃ was significantly (p<0.05) higher than F ₁ and F ₂ but was similar to F ₄. Broilers on F ₄ however, did not significantly (P<0.05) differ from F ₁ and F ₂ in average daily feed intake. Average daily weight gain was significantly (p<0.05) higher in F ₁ than F ₂ but similar to birds on F ₃ and F ₄. The FCR was lowest for F ₁, which was not significantly (p<0.05) different from F ₃ and F ₄. Complete replacement of maize with the three combination rations of BGO, CRM and YP reduced feed cost per kg. Nevertheless, feed cost per kg weight gain was lowest for broilers on the control diet (S ₁) in the starter phase and broilers on diet F ₄ in the finisher phase.

Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 2(1) 2006: 17-22