Uchegbu M.C., Etuk E.B., Omede A.A., Okpala C.P., Okoli I.C., Opara M.N.
Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria
Uchegbu, M.C., Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria; Etuk, E.B., Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria; Omede, A.A., Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria; Okpala, C.P., Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria; Okoli, I.C., Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria; Opara, M.N., Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, P. M. B. 1526, Owerri, Nigeria
A study was carried out with one hundred and twenty one-week-old Hubbard broilers to determine the effect of replacing maize with cassava root meal (CRM) and maize/sorghum brewers' dried grains (MSBDG) on performance of starter broilers. Four experimental diets were formulated to contain 0, 15, 30 and 45% CRM and MSBDG combined in the ratio of 1:1 in the broiler starter rations. There was no difference (P>0.05) in feed intake among the birds on 0, 15 and 45% CRM/MSBDG, but these were lower (P<0.05) than the feed intake of birds on 30% CRM/MSBDG. There was no difference (P>0.05) in daily weight gain among the birds on 0, 15 and 30 CRM/MSBDG diets, and each of these was higher than that of the birds on 45% CRM/MSBDG diet. The feed convertion ratio of 0% compared favourably with that of the birds on 15% diets, and these two diets were better (P<0.05) utilized than 30% and 45% CRM/MSBDG diets. The result showed that CRM/MSBDG can be successfully incorporated in broiler starter diets up to 30% dietary level.