ABSTRACT

 An investigation into the replacement value oftiger nut seed meal as substitute for maize is diets of cockerels was studied. Five different diets were formulated such that tiger nut replaced maize at 0% (Tl), 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4), and 100% (T5) respectively in a Completely Randomized Design. The control diet (Tl) contained no tiger nut. One hundred and twenty (120) four weeks old cockerels procured from the kcal market was used for the experiment to determine the effect ofthe test diets on dietary proximate compositions, feed intake, weight gain, body weight changes, Feed Conversion Ratio in a forty Nine (49) days trial. The cockerels were arranged into five dietary treatments, each containing three replicates with eight birds per dietary treatment and eight birds per replicate. Result indicated that the control diet did not vary from the test diets in proximate composition. The crude fat, crude fiber and metabolizable energy portrayed an increasing trend whereas, the crude protein, ash and nitrogen free extract portrayed a decreasing trend as the level of tiger nut increased. Body weight and Feed Conversion Ratio differed among the five dietary treatments, whereas, tiger nut inclusion had no effect on daily Feed intake and daily weight gain. T3 showed better FCR (10.58) and high body weight (611.44g), whereas, T4 recorded similar FCR (10.59) but lower body weight (586.31g). Generally, tiger nut inclusion incre4asedd FCR compared to the control, suggesting the effects of anti-nutrients and fiber. Tiger nut inclusion did not affect feed intake and crude fiber and as such, the variation in FCR may largely be due to poor utilization of fiber but mainly due to the presence of anti-nutrients. T5 was poorest in FCR (12.98). The poor performance of T5 may be traced to the dilution of available nutrients by high fiber content ofthe diet. The White blood cell (WBC), Red blood cell (RBC), Haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), heterophil; lymphocyte, monocyte and basinophil except the eosinophil were not affected by the replacement ofmaize with tiger nut. The test diet recorded lower eosinophil (2.33-3.67 x 103/ul) compared to the control (5.67 x 103/ul) the eosinophil values however were still within the normal acceptable range, 1-6 x 103/ul. Higher eosinophil value ofthe control suggests that it was immunologically challenged, whereas, the lower values of eosinophil in the test diets may suggest inherent physiochemical properties ofthe tiger nut that reduced the vulnerability ofthe animals against worm infections associated wiih higher values of eosinophil. T5 recorded lymphocyte value (44.67 x 103/ul) slightly lower than normal range values. Therefore inclusion of tiger nut at any level lower than 100% will fevour optimum haematological function of the cockerels. The dietary treatment affected the serum bilirubin, creatinine and cholesterol levels but did not affect the serum total protein, globulin, albumin and blood urea. T4 recorded the highest bilirubin (0.28 g/dl) which compared with the control (0.21 g/dl) suggesting more efficient metabolism. Total protein and globulin decreased, whereas, creatinine increased as level oftiger nut increased. Urea and albumin did not portray a definite trend. Higher creatinine values are associated with higher crude protein. While this is true for control diet (0.38 mg/dl), it was not for the T4 and T5 whose higher creatinine values (0.38 mg/dl) are attributed to the presence of antinutrients such as oxalates which binds proteins resulting in high catabolic products, including creatinine. T3 containing 50% oftiger r.ut is recommended as the most tolerable level to replace maize due to its lowest FCR, high body weight, comparable haematological characteristics, lowest urea and moderate creatinine value.