Replacement of Value of Sweet Potato(Ipomea Batatas) Meal For Maize in Practical Diets Fed to Quail (COnturnix cotu-rnix japomica) Chicks

Abstract

A six- week feeding trial was conducted to determine the value of sweer potato in diets fed to216 Japanese quail chicks in a brooding house. Four isonitrogenous (22%CP) diets tagged A, B<C and D incorporating graded levels (0. 13.73, 23,73 and 38.73%) of sweet potato meal respectively as replacement for maize were used in the trial. The M.E levels of the diets flunctuated between 2692; diets D and 2708kcal/kg M.E; diets B. Each treatment was replicated thrice. Food intake was higher (p<0.05) on diet B (818.62) than the rest of the diets (A:702.10g, C: 688.51 and D: 689.96g). Difference in weight gain (A:122g, B:130.50g. C:121.37g, D:122.15g) were not significant( p>0.05) among the treatments. Feed cost/kg gain was higher(p<0.05) for diet D(134.81) than other diets (A:97.87, B:94.23, C:104.94). Results of this study showed that dietry level of 38.73% sweet potato meal was suitable for growth of Japanese quail chicks provided the diets are isonitrogenous and contained metabolizable energy of between 2692 and 2798kcal/kg