Authors : G.S. Ojewola, O.E. Opara and O. Ndupu
Abstract: Two trials were conducted to investigate the effect of palm oil supplemented and unsupplemented cassava meal for maize in broiler ration. One hundred 7-day old unsexed broiler chicks of Arbor acre strain were used in each trial. Both trails had birds randomly allotted to each of five treatment diets with two replicate groups per diet in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each treatment groups had 20 birds with 10 birds per replicate. Each of the trials lasted 5 weeks. In trial 1, dietary maize was substituted for cassava meal at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%. The result shows that birds fed diet 1 had significantly higher (p<0.05) mean final live weight gain (1344.0g) and mean total cost of feed consumed (N200.40) while the mean total weight gain (g) among the various treatments was comparable. The feed- to- gain ratio became numerically poorer (2.41 to 3.64) as the substitution level of cassava meal for maize increased from 25 to 100% while the cost decreased (N69.00 to 50.74) numerically, though, 25% and 50% substituted levels seemed advantageous both in terms of performance and economics of production. In trial 2 five isonitrogeneous (24%CP) and isocaloric diets (3000 kcal/kgME) were formulated with a progressive (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% replacement of maize with palm oil supplemented cassava meal. In feeding trial, the mean total weight gain, feed-to-gain ratio and cost of total feed intake were significantly influenced (p<0.05). Birds fed diet 2 gave the best (p<0.05) performance, followed by diet s 1 and 3, while others gave a poor performance. Both the cost per kg feed (N) significantly decreased (p<0.05) as the level of substitution increased from 0-100%. Therefore substituting dietary maize with palm oil supplemented cassava meal at 25% demonstrates both productive and economic advantage over diet 1 and others.
Ojewola, G.S. , O.E. Opara and O. Ndupu , 2006. The Substitutional Value of Cassava Meal, Supplemented and Unsupplemented with Palm Oil for Maize in Broiler Diets. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 478-482.