Growth performance and egg quality of laying chickens fed cassava (Manihot esculenta)‎ plant meals-based diets

Abstract EN

The study evaluated the suitability of three developed cassava plant meals (CPM) as a replacement for maize in diets of laying pullets in a 27-week feeding trial.

a total of 600 ISA brown laying pullets of 8-weeks old were randomly distributed among four dietary groups to assess their growth and egg laying performance during 8 and 21 weeks, and 22 to 35 weeks of age.

group 1 were fed with diet 1 which contained 50% maize and served as the control while groups 2, 3 and 4 were fed with diets containing CPMS I, II and iii as complete replacement of the control.

the results showed CPM III diet promoted the fastest growth (833.32 G / bird) which was comparable (844.96 G / bird) to those fed the control diet.

the birds fed CPM III had a better feed efficiency, while FCR / KG egg mass was comparable (1.99, 1.90 and 1.82) among dietary groups (CPMS II, III and control, respectively).

interestingly, CPM III diets improved the early age at first egg lay which was similar (p> 0.05) to the group fed the control diet.

furthermore, CPM III diet improved (p< 0.05) the egg length, shell weight and albumen height while CPM I diet promoted egg yolk index and yolk coloration.

it could be concluded that, CPM iii diet promoted superior body weight gains, feed conversion ratio at 8 to 21 weeks, and exhibited better egg laying performances that were comparable to those fed the maize-based diets.

the CPM I diet could be recommended owing to the better egg yolk coloration, a quality that is especially desirable for the egg consumers and processors.