Effect Of Feeding Different Levels Of Fermented And Unfermented Cassava Tuber Meals On Performance Of Broilers

Studies were conducted to determine the relative effects of fermented and unfermented sun-dried cassava tuber meals as source of energy in broiler diets. A batch of fresh bitter cassava tubers (TMS 30572 variety) was cut into pieces, dried in the sun and milled (UFC). Another batch was cut into, pieces, fermented in water for 4 days, dried in the sun and milled (FC). Both fresh cassava tubers and processed meals were analyzed for proximate composition and cyanide contents. In the firstexperiment, the meals were used to make 7 iso-nitrogenous broiler starter diets such that diet 1 (the control) contained maize as source of energy while in diets 2, 3 and 4, 50%, 75% and 100% of the maize in the control diet was replaced with UFC and in diets 5, 6 and 7, the maize was similarly replaced with FC. Each diet was fed to a group of 24 broiler chicks replicated into 2 from 1 week old to 5 weeks old. In the second experiment, the meals were used to make 7 iso-nitrogenous broilerfinisher diets, using replacement levels as in the starter trial, and each diet fed to a group of 22 broiler chicks replicated into 2 from 5 weeks old to 9 weeks old. Fresh cassava tuber contained 0.44mg HCN/gm while unfermented and fermented meals contained 0. 15mg HCN/gm and 0. 08mg HCN/gm, respectively. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in proximate composition of the three samples. In the starter trial, the group that received the diet in which 50% of maize was replaced with UFC or FC compared favourably with the control in performance (P>0.05). Although at 100% replacement level, both UFC and FC significantly depressed performance of the chicks, UFC resulted in severe stunted growth and ruffled feathers of the chicks. In the broiler finisher trial, replacement of maize up to 75% with FC produced no adverse effect (P>0.05) whereas at that level, UFC significantly depressed performance (P>0.05).Keywords: Fermented cassava tuber meal, unfermented cassava tuber meal, broiler