The Effect of Soaked Cassava Peel Meal Supplemented with Enzyme as Replacement for Maize on the Blood Hematological Characteristics of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of soaked cassava peel meal supplemented with enzyme as a replacement for maize on the performance and productive characteristics of broiler chickens. Cassava peels were soaked for three days, dried, milled and incorporated into experimental diets at 0, 25, 50 and 75% replacement levels. Three hundred broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with three replicates. Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, laying performance, egg quality and feed cost were assessed. Soaking improved the nutritional composition of cassava peel meal, increasing dry matter and crude protein while reducing crude fibre. During the growing phase, FCPM inclusion significantly affected feed intake and nutrient digestibility, but had no significant effect on final body weight, daily weight gain or feed conversion ratio. The 50% replacement level recorded the highest digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract and ash, whereas 75% replacement produced the lowest digestibility values. Several carcass parameters were significantly influenced by treatment, although gizzard and intestinal weights were unaffected. During the laying phase, FCPM did not significantly affect hen-day production, hen house production, feed intake, egg weight, feed conversion ratio or measured egg-quality characteristics. Feed cost declined progressively with increasing FCPM inclusion, with 50% replacement showing favourable economic efficiency. Overall, soaked cassava peel meal can partially replace maize in broiler diets, with 50% replacement appearing most suitable based on nutrient utilization, performance and feed-cost efficiency.