ABSTRACT

Inclusion of aerial yam (Dioscorea bulbifera) meal in tlie broiler ration at 7.5% and I <’<> <> was investig:iled using one hundred and (wenly (120) biids in n completely randomized design . Hie trial lasted 4 weeks. The birds were randomly allocated to 6 dietary treatments designated as diets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 with each having 2 replications of 10 birds per replicate. Tire bird were fed and watered ad-libitum. The results showed no significant (P> 0.05) differences in the bird’s mean final body weight, mean daily weight gain and feed-to-gain ratio, while the mean total feed intake and mean daily feed intake wore significantly (P>0.05) influenced. Birds fed diet 4 had the highest (numerically) daily weight gain (7.59g) which is followed by diets 2 and 3 respectively while, diet 1 had the least (5.30g). The feed -to -gain ratio was numerically highest for birds fed diet 6 (5.59) followed by diets 5, 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The economic analysis results indicate that cost of feed per bird was significantly different (P< 0.05) with diet 5 having the highest (N46.11) followed by diet 6 and 4 respectively, but the least was diet 1 (N37. 12). Revenue generated was not significantly different (P>0.05) although diet 4 was numerically the highest (N379.00) while diet 1 was the least (N301.40).The haematological indices of the birds at the end of the experiment did not differ significantly (P>0.05) in all the parameters measured. From the foregoing, inclusion of aerial yam meal in broiler diet at 7.5% and 15% levels demonstrated some productive and economic advantages