Abstract:
An experiment was conducted at the experimental units of the
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Studies, Sudan
University of Science and Technology, during the period from 24
December 2002 to 12 February 2003 to investigate the effect of
feeding cassava root meal (CRM) as a replacement of sorghum grains
on the performance of broiler chicks. Fresh cassava roots were
processed according to the traditional procedure adopted in the Blue
Nile area for making cassava root flour.
Diets containing 0%, 10%, 20% and 25% (CRM) as a substitute
for sorghum, were fed to one hundred unsexed Ross 308 broiler
chicks. All diets were isonitrogenous and isoenergetic and were
prepared in a mash form, vegetable oil was added to balance the
energy and to reduce the powdery characteristic of cassava root flour.
Replacement of cassava root meal up to level of 20% in broiler
ration at early age (0 – 3) weeks significantly (P ≥ 0.05) affected the
bodyweight and feed conversion ratio. On the other hand, at high level
of 25% replacement of CRM there was significant (P ≥ 0.05)
reduction on body weight gain at all ages.
The treatment groups did not differ significantly (P ≤ 0.05) on
dressing percentage for cold and hot weights. The replacement of
iv
CRM sorghum had no significant effect on the mortality percentage
(1%) (P ≤ 0.05).
Treatment effect was not significant (P ≤ 0.05) on commercial
cuts, meat percentage of selected cuts thigh, drumstick and breast.
Also no significant effect (P ≤ 0.05) on the weight of liver, heart
and gizzard was noticed. The panel test for all treatments was very
good, and showed in significant different (P ≤ 0.05).
Cassava root meal could be used as substitute for sorghum up to
20% in nutritionally balanced rations for broiler as indicated by the
study.
