Performance, Carcass and Organ Weights Characteristics of Finishing Broiler Chickens Fed Pro-Vitamin A ( UMUCASS 36) Cassava Meal

A 4-week study was conducted using 120 unsexed Anak strain broilers to determine the performance, carcass and internal organs characteristics of finishing broilers fed unpeeled and peeled fermented pro-vitamin A cassava meal as total replacement for maize. Fresh bio-fortified pro-vitamin A cassava was harvested and divided into two batches. The first batch was peeled and the second batch was unpeeled. Both were soaked separately in a plastic vat containing clean water and allowed to ferment for 72 hours. Thereafter, they were washed with clean water, sundried and milled to produce i. peeled fermented pro-vitamin A cassava tuber meal (PFPC). ii. Unpeeled fermented pro-vitamin A cassava tuber meal (UFPC). The broilers were divided into three groups and fed diets containing 100% maize T1 (control) as the source of energy, while T2 and T3 contained 100% unpeeled and peeled fermented pro-vitamin A cassava as the source of energy respectively. Each group was replicated four times with 10 birds per replicate in a completely Randomized Design (CRD). Feed and water were provided ad libitum for the period. Result showed that final body weight, daily weight gain and breast weight of the control were significantly (p 0.05) higher than UFPC and PFPC groups. The treatment had no significant (p 0.05) effect on the internal organs of the birds. Abdominal fat of the PFPC group was significantly (p 0.05) higher than the control and UFPC. The results of this study revealed that unpeeled and peeled fermented pro-vitamin A cassava meal can completely replaced maize in the diets of finishing broilers. Keywords: Broiler, performance, pro-vitamin A cassav