Nutritional evaluation of cassava root meal fortified with roselle seed meal as a replacement for maize on growth response and blood profile of broiler chicks

Abstract

A major challenge diminishing the profitability and sustainability of the poultry industry is the
astronomic increase in price of feed ingredient such as maize which is progressively eroding off the
expected profit margin of poultry farmers. A total of two hundred and forty (240), day-old broiler
chicks were used in four weeks feeding trial to investigate the effect of fermented cassava root fortified
with roselle seed meal as a replacement for maize on growth performance and blood profiles of broiler
chicks. Maize is the main energy source for the control diet (T1) while the other five diets (T2, T3, T4,
T5 and T6 were partially replaced with varying levels of cassava root meal – roselle seed meal (CRMRSM) mixture at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% inclusion rates respectively. The broiler chicks were weighed
and allotted to six dietary treatments of 40 birds each. The groups were replicated four times in a
completely randomized design of 10 birds per replicate. Parameters measured for growth response
include: Initial weight, final weight, total weight gain, daily weight gain, total feed intake, daily feed
intake and feed conversion ratio. Dietary treatments evoked significant (P < 0.05) effect on final
weight, total weight gain and daily weight gain. Higher statistical (P < 0.05) values of 1153.33g and
1193.33g were recorded for final weight in the birds fed 0% and 10% CRM-RSM. Birds fed diets with
20% and 30% CRM-RSM, inclusion revealed similar statistical values 1133.33g and 1116.67g for
final weight. With the exemption of neutrophil, graded level of CRM-RSM showed significant (P<0.05)
influence on haematological parameters determined. Values recorded for packed cell volume PCV
ranged between 38.50 – 45.00% and did not follow any specific trend. In conclusion, inclusion of
cassava – roselle seed mixture up to 30% replacement level for maize improved growth performance
without hazardous effect on starter broiler chicks