NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY OF BROILER CHICKENS FED TIGERNUT (CYPERUS ESCULENTUS) MEAL AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR MAIZE

Abstract

A feeding trial of 6-weeks was conducted to evaluate the effect of substituting Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus) TNM with maize on the nutrient digestibility of 150-day-old Abor acre broiler chicks. Five experimental broiler starter and finisher diets were formulated with diet T1 formulated to contain 0 % Tigernut while diet T2, T3, T4 and T5 were formulated to contain Tigernut meal at 10, 15, and 20 and 25% substituting for maize, respectively. Thirty (30) chicks were randomly assigned to the five dietary treatments in a completely randomized designed (CRD). Each treatment consisted of three replicates of ten (10) chicks. The results of crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF) and ether extract (EE) shows significant (P<0.05) while dry matter (DM), Ash and nitrogen free extract (NFE) did not differ significantly (P>0.05) among the treatment groups. The highest crude protein, crude fiber and ether extract digestibility of 93.78, 77.99 and 88.28 percent respectively, were obtained in T5. Therefore, substitution level of Tigernut meal for maize at 25% gives an appreciable nutrient utilization in the diet of broiler chickens. It can be concluded that Tigernut meal can substitute maize up to 25% without adverse effects on nutrient digestibility.