ABSTRACT

Performance, hematology and serum biochemistry of broiler chickens fed diet containing fermented cocoyam was determined. The fermented cocoyam tuber meal was used to replace maize at various levels of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% respectively for diet 2, 3, 4 and 5 to determine the best replacement that would give optimal performance in starter and finisher broiler diet. Result of the proximate composition of fermented cocoyam tuber meal showed that  it contained 88.38% dry matter, 10.05%  moisture, 8.09% ash, 0.06% ether extract, 7% crude protein, 8.70% crude fiber, 63.94% nitrogen free extract and 3004.37kcal/kg ME.. 150 day old Anak broiler was used for the experiment. Each starter diet was fed to a group of 30 broiler birds for 4weeks, while finisher diet was also fed to group of 30 birds for another 4 weeks using Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each treatment was divided into three replicates of 10 birds each. Parameters measured include initial body weight, final body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass characteristics, hematological indices, serum blood chemistry and economics of production.  Data collected were analyzed using one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). In the starter feeding trial, the starter broiler on 25% Fermented Cocoyam Meal compared favorably (P < 0.05) with the control in terms of feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. In the finisher feeding trial, the groups on 25%,50% and 75% FCYM compared favorably with the control in terms of feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio and significantly (P<0.05) perform better than those on 100% FCYM. The result of the carcass yield showed that the finisher broilers on 25% FCYM recorded the highest dressings percent of 70.38 which was significantly (P<0.05) higher than other groups. The percent breast, thigh, drumstick, wings, backcut showed that there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) across the treatment groups. The internal organs expressed as percent of live weight were not affected by the treatments. Only the finisher broilers on 25% FCYM accumulated abdominal fat which was quite minimal. In the starter phase, cost of production (N/kg broiler) was however lowest for those on 25% FCYM and 50% FCYM while the costliest was those on 100% FCYM. In the finisher broilers, the cost of production (N/kg broiler) was however costliest for those on the control diet (N456.91) versus (N354.47) for those on 100% FCYM. The result of the hematological and serum blood chemistry of the starter and finisher broilers of the trial did not have any negative effect on the birds because the results were in line with the normal ranges of hematological values for broiler chicken. It was therefore concluded that fermented cocoyam tuber meal (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) could be used in the diets of starter broilers up to 25% and up to 75% in finisher broiler diets without affecting the body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio.