Effect of supplementation of cassava peel meal based diet with enzyme Maxigrain® on performance, apparent nutrient digestibility and economic indices of broiler finishers

Abstract

A four-week experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of Maxigrain® enzyme supplementation on performance, nutrient digestibility and economic indices of broiler finishers fed soaked and sun-dried cassava peel meal (CPM) based diet. CPM was included in the diets replacing maize at 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% respectively on a weight for weight basis. Diets with 25%, 50% and 75% CPM were supplemented with Maxigrain® at 100mg/kg. Two hundred (200) Anak, day old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD) with five replicates containing ten birds each after balancing for live weight. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum throughout the 4 weeks period of the experiment. Data on the body weight and feed intake were collected on a weekly basis and that of weight gain and feed conversion ratio(FCR) were calculated fortnightly while data on apparent nutrient digestibility was collected towards the end of the experiments in a metabolic trial. Data on feed costanalysis were calculated using the prevailing current market price of feed ingredients. The result shows that average weight gain and feed intake were significantly affected (P<0.05) by dietary treatments. Birds on 50% CPM enzyme diet had a significant (P<0.05) higher weight gain and feed intake followed by those on 75% CPM diet as compared to control group. Enzyme supplementation of the CPM diets produced a slight improvement in feed conversion ratio than the control diet. Feed cost/kg weight gain significantly (P<0.05) decreased with increasing levels of enzyme supplemented CPM. Profit margin generated were higher (P<0.05) in bird fed enzyme treated CPM diet group. Apparent nutrient digestibility of the birds revealed a significant (P<0.05) variation in all parameters with the exception of dry matter. Digestibility values of the birds were observed to increase as the inclusion level of enzyme supplemented CPM increased across the diet. Therefore, it is concluded that enzyme supplemented CPM could replace 75% of maize in broiler finisher diet without any deleterious effect however, supplementing CPM with enzyme Maxigrain® at 50% replacement level for maize resulted in a more profitable performance as well as improved nutrient digestibility and is hereby recommended for poultry farmers.