Performance, Carcass Yield and Litter Quality of Broiler Chickens Fed Differently Ensiled Cassava Peels-Based Composite Meal Diets

Cassava peels are produced widely in Nigeria as agro waste. The cassava peel meal, contain very little amount of protein that possibly can be enhanced by blending with higher protein milling by-products and agro wastes before ensiling. Little or no data are available on the use of ensiled cassava peel based composite meal (ECP-BCM) produced by blending and ensiling wet cassava peel meal, palm kernel meal and fresh battery cage layers droppings in poultry nutrition. The effect of blending a 7:2:1 wet cassava peels meal, palm kernel meal and fresh battery cage layers droppings and ensiling for 0, 7 and 14 days on broiler performance carcass yield and litter quality was examined. In the experiment, 50%; of ECP-BCM of 0, 7 and 14 days were substituted for maize in nutritionally-balanced diets fed 0 - 56 day of age.  The ECP-BCM diets caused slight reductions in growth at 28 day of age; but by 56 day broilers fed 50% ECP-BCM diets had similar weights to birds fed the control diets. Feed intake increased significantly (p<0.05) with the 50% cassava peel based composite meals. Feed conversion ratios were significantly (p<0.05) poor with cassava peel based composite meals irrespective of the ensiling period. Carcass yield decreased significantly (p<0.05)   only in 14 day ECP-BCM group. Litter moisture decreased with the composite meals (ECP-BCM) but values were not significantly (p<0.05) less than control. Blending and ensiling a ratio of 7:2:1 wet cassava peels meal, palm kernel meal and fresh battery cage layers’ droppings enhanced its nutritive value and allowed for successful use of 50% in broiler diets.