Abstract:
An experiment was carried out to evaluate the growth and economic effects of cassava flour (CF)
as an alternative to maize in diets of local turkeys. A total of 135 day- old unsexed local turkey
breed were used. The birds were allotted to 5 treatments (T1 T5). T1 which served as control
was a diet without cassava flour, while T2, T3, T4 and T5 were diets in which CF replaced maize
by 25, 50, 75 and 100% respectively. Each treatment was replicated three times with each having
9 birds in a completely randomized design (CRD). The experiment lasted for 16 weeks; starter
phase (0 – 8 weeks) and grower phase (9 -16 weeks).Feed and water were offered ad libitum.
Results showed that at the starter phase there was no dietary effect (P>0.05) on growth
parameters. At the grower phase, above 25%, final live weight was reduced (P<0.05). Daily
weight and feed: gain ratio were negatively affected by 100%. The 100% replacement resulted to
higher feed intake. At 75 and 100% during starter phase, and 50, 75 and 100% during grower
phase gross margin was reduced (P<0.05). Therefore replacing maize with CF by 25% in local
turkey diets could be adopted. |
