Effect of Feeding Sun Dried Cocoyam (Xanthosoma Sagittifolium) Corm Meal on the Performance of Starter Broilers

Abstract

The effects of different levels of cocoyam corm meal on performance of starter broilers were determined in a 28-day feeding trial. Five diets containing cocoyam corm meal at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% levels and labeled T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅ respectively were formulated and fed to one hundred and fifty (150) starter broilers (Hybro strain) in a completely randomized design experiment in which each treatment group was replicated thrice. Each replicate contained 10 birds. Birds fed T₃, T₄ and T₅ diets had significantly (p<0.05) lower daily weight gain than the control group T₁ and T₂ group birds that were similar (p>0.05). Feed intake values of the birds on 5, 10 and 15% cocoyam corm meal were significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of T₁ and T₅ birds. Feed conversion ratio of birds on T₁ and T₂ were significantly lower and better than that of T₃, T₄ and T₅ dietary group. Analysis of the results revealed that starter broilers could tolerate up to 20% level of inclusion of cocoyam corm meal without serious deleterious effects on their performance. The significance of this research finding is that sun drying alone can achieve the incorporation of cocoyam corm meal to the tone of 20% in broiler starter ration.

Keywords: Broiler chicks, nutrition, cocoyam corm meal, maize