HAEMATOLOGY AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF FINISHER BROILERS FED VARYING LEVELS OF CASSAVA PEEL MEAL ENRICHED WITH ENZYME AND METHIONINE

Abstract

Poultry feeding with most non-conventional feedstuffs, high dietary fibre is associated with negative connotation in relation to voluntary and nutrient digestibility. Supplementation of cassava peel with enzymes and methionine improve broilers performance. Haematological indices and carcass characteristics of broilers fed varied level of cassava peel meal (CPM) enriched with methionine and enzyme was studied. A total of 96 broiler chickens were used in the research work. The birds were randomly allotted to four experimental treatments, each having four replicates of eight birds per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). Four experimental diets were compounded to include cassava peel meal at 0, 15, 30, and 45% maize replacement in diets designated as T1, T2, T3, and T4 respectively. Haematological indices and carcass characteristics parameters of broilers fed were determined. Significant variations were observed in the haematological indices of white blood cells (WBC), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and neutrophils, with values ranges from 228.14 to 239.31 x109/L, 31.87 to 33.50g/dL, 2.33 to 2.88% respectively. However, no significant variations were observed for the values obtained with birds fed diets 1, 2, and 3. A similar trend in observed values was obtained for carcass characteristics. No significant variation was observed in the birds fed diets 1, 2, and 3 for live weight, bled weight, eviscerated weight, and dressing percentage. Also, no toxic effect of CPM was observed from the viscerals at all levels of inclusion used in this experiment. Therefore, CPM replacement of maize at a 30% replacement level
be encouraged.