Supplemental effects of feed additives on the utilization of cassava plant meal by broiler chicken

Abstract

One hundred and fifty 7-day old (hybro strain) broiler chicks were randomly distributed into five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Diet 1 which served as the control had 25% CPM, while diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 had the same composition as diet 1 but with the inclusion of feed additives, bakers’ yeast, enzyme (hemicell), antibiotics (oxytetracycline) and palm oil respectively. CPM was a combination of unpeeled tuber + tender leaves and tender stems mixed in the ratio of 2.5:1 of unpeeled tuber to leaves plus tender stems and the study lasted for 8 weeks. There was an increase in weight gain (p<0.05) and better feed to gain ratio (p<0.05) with the inclusion of feed additives to CPM based diets with bakers yeast (diet 2) eliciting the best response. Dressed and carcass weight was highest (p<0.05) on Diet 3 with the additive diets having a better value (p<0.05) than the control group. It was concluded that the use of feed additives in CPM based diets had a beneficial effect on its utilization by broiler chicken in terms of performance and carcass evaluation.