Iheukwumere F.C., Ndubuisi E.C., Mazi E.A., Onyekwere M.U.
Department of Agriculture, Abia State University, PMB 7010, Umudike, Nigeria; Department of Food Science, Abia State University, PMB 7010, Umuahia, Nigeria; Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
Iheukwumere, F.C., Department of Agriculture, Abia State University, PMB 7010, Umudike, Nigeria; Ndubuisi, E.C., Department of Agriculture, Abia State University, PMB 7010, Umudike, Nigeria; Mazi, E.A., Department of Food Science, Abia State University, PMB 7010, Umuahia, Nigeria; Onyekwere, M.U., Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria
A 35-day feeding trial involving 120, 5-week old Anak broilers was carried out in a completely randomized design to evaluate the performance, nutrient utilization and organ characteristics of broilers fed cassava leaf meal at dietary levels of 0, 5, 10 and 15% respectively. Feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and organ weight of birds on the control (0%) and (5%) leaf meals were significantly superior (p<0.05) to the group on 10% and 15% leaf meal. The utilization of Dry Matter (DM), crude protein, ether extract and ash was significantly poorer at the 10 and 15% dietary levels. The organ weights (heart, liver, gizzard) were superior at 0 and 5% (p<0.05) groups to the groups on 10 and 15% inclusion levels of the leaf meal. It is suggested that 5% inclusion of cassava leaf meal could be used in broiler finisher diets without any deleterious effects. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2008.
animal experiment; animal food; animal tissue; article; ash; avian stomach; bird; cassava; chemical composition; controlled study; food composition; food intake; heart weight; liver weight; meal; nonhuman; nutrient uptake; organ weight; plant leaf; randomization; weight gain; Aves; Manihot esculenta