Fibre Characterization of Cassava Peel Leaf Meal and Its Utilization by Broilers

Abstract

One hundred and twenty ( n = 120) day old broiler chicks with an average weight (100.00±7.00g) were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments, with cassava peel leaf meal (CPLM) as replacement for maize at (starter and finisher phases).The trial was in three phases of adaptation  (1-2week),starter (3-5week) and finisher (6-9week).Thirty broilers chicks were assigned to each of the four treatments, while was replicated three times at 10 chicks each. Performance of the chicks such weight gain, feed intake and carcass yield was evaluated and the proximate and fiber quality of the diets and CPLM were also determined. Data obtained for performance evaluated was analyzed using ANOVA, while significant means were separated by SAS of the same package. The outcome revealed that CPLM had (89.93%) dry matter, (18.93%) crude protein and (43.28%) NDF, with anon-significant (p< 0.05) variation in weight gain, enhanced (p< 0.05) feed intake and depressed (p< 0.05) feed to gain ratio as CPLM inclusion increased. Dressing percentage values (69.00-73.00%) were obtained on the treatments. CPLM inclusion (0, 15, 30 and 45%) as replacement for maize in the diets of broilers produced a favourable performance.

Keywords: Cassava peel, cassava leaf, fiber, broiler chicks