Utilization of unpeeled cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) root meal supplemented with or without charcoal by broiler chickens

Abstract

A 42-day feeding trial was conducted using 480-day-old, male Marshall broilers to study the utilization of unpeeled cassava root meal (UCRM) supplemented with or without 6 g/kg charcoal. The experimental design was laid out in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments having three inclusion levels of UCRM (0, 100 and 200 g/kg) with or without 6 g/kg charcoal supplementation. Each treatment consisted of 80 birds replicated eight times with 10 birds per replicate. Main effect of inclusion level of UCRM and supplementation of charcoal showed reduced (p < 0.05) final live weight, weight gain, feed intake and apparent crude protein digestibility of the birds with increasing inclusion levels of UCRM. Birds fed diets supplemented with charcoal showed higher (p < 0.05) final live weight, weight gain and feed intake than birds fed diets without charcoal. Supplementation of charcoal in diet containing 100 g/kg UCRM resulted in improved (p < 0.05) weight gain when compared with birds fed similar diet but not supplemented with charcoal. Broilers fed diet containing no UCRM but supplemented with charcoal had the highest overall (p < 0.05) final live weight and weight gain, while birds fed diet containing 200 g/kg UCRM supplemented with charcoal recorded the poorest (p < 0.05) final live weight and weight gain. Serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and serum thiocyanate concentration increased (p < 0.05) with increasing dietary inclusion levels of UCRM. Dietary supplementation of charcoal resulted in increased (p < 0.05) concentration of serum glucose and cholesterol and reduced (p < 0.05) SGOT concentration. Birds fed diets containing UCRM had high (p < 0.05) serum thiocyanate concentration irrespective of dietary supplementation or not with 6 g/kg charcoal. In conclusion, supplementation of diet containing up to 100 g/kg UCRM with 6 g/kg charcoal showed improved weight gain without any deleterious effect on serum metabolites.

Effect of polyethylene glycol 4000 supplementation on the performance of yearling male Pedi goats fed dietary mixture levels of Acacia karroo leaf meal and Setaria verticillata grass hay

“…Dry matter, OM, NDF and ADF intakes were optimized at PEG 4000 supplementation levels of 19.62, 19.62, 19.61 and 19.53 g/goat, respectively. This finding is similar to those of Yisehak et al (2013) who reported significant interaction effect of diet and PEG on DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF. The considerable improvement in the intake of all studied nutrients after the incorporation of PEG reveals the positive impact of PEG when added to tanniniferous diet (Frutos et al 2004).…”

“…Similarly, Motubatse et al (2008) reported that PEG 4000 supplementation did not affect NDF and ADF digestibility in Pedi goats fed Acacia nilotica leaf meal. Contrary to this result, other authors have reported significant improvement in the apparent digestibility of nutrients (OM and CP) with PEG supplementation (Barry et al 1986; Ben Salem et al 2005; Yisehak et al 2013). The effect of PEG depends on the level of protein in the diet.…”

“…Silanikove et al (1996a, b) and Titus et al (2001) also reported that PEG supplementation increased intake of tanniniferous browse foliage. The incorporation of PEG in the diet breaks tannin-fibre complexes, which consequently allows their digestion by microbial enzymes (Frutos et al 2004; Yisehak et al 2013). Inactivation of tannins through PEG increased availability of nutrients (protein, carbohydrates and minerals) to the animal and decreased microbial inhibition leading to higher animal performance (Makkar 2003).…”

Influence of dietary wood charcoal on growth performance, nutrient efficiency and excreta quality of male broiler chickens

“…1.10% (carbon); 35.6, 41.9, 42.7, and 48.3%, SEM: 2.72% (nitrogen); and 28.0, 15.0, 27.9, and 27.9%, SEM: 3.31% (phosphorus). This is in accordance with a previous study of Oso et al (2014) who concluded that the inclusion of dietary wood charcoal did not influence the apparent DM and crude protein digestibility of broilers. In the same study, however, the inclusion of charcoal into unpeeled cassava root meals could counterbalance the negative effect of dietary cyanide on the crude protein utilization.…”

Cassava: Nutrient composition and nutritive value in poultry diets

“…(1983) found that performance of broilers fed 200 g/kg cassava root meal was similar to that of birds fed maize based diets, and Ezeh and Arene (1994) found that cassava root meal could replace up to 75% of dietary maize, resulting in a cost benefit ratio of 1.41:1 against maize. The opposite was however illustrated by Oso et al. (2014) in a study in which unpeeled cassava root meal was fed to broilers up to a level of 200 g/kg.…”