title: Effect of feeding cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) root meal on growth performance, hydrocyanide intake and haematological parameters of broiler chicks.
abstract: The effect of feeding cassava root meal on growth performance, hydrocyanide intake, haematological indices and serum thiocyanate concentration of broiler chicks was investigated using 300-day-old male broilers. There were five dietary treatments arranged in a 2 × 2 + 1 factorial arrangement of two processing methods of cassava root (peeled and unpeeled) included at two levels (100 and 200 g/kg) plus a control diet (maize-based diet, containing no cassava root). Each treatment was replicated six times with ten birds per replicate. The feeding trial lasted for 28 days. Control-fed birds had the highest overall (P < 0.01) final liveweight and weight gain, least (P < 0.05) hydrocyanide (HCN) intake and best (P < 0.05) feed-to-gain ratio. Chicks fed with control and diet containing 100 g/kg peeled cassava root meal (PCRM) had the least (P < 0.05) feed cost per weight gain. Chicks fed with diet containing 100 g/kg cassava root meal had higher (P < 0.05) final liveweight and weight gain and reduced (P < 0.05) HCN intake than chicks fed with diet containing 200 g/kg cassava root meal. Dietary inclusion of peeled cassava root meal (PCRM) for broiler chicks resulted in increased final liveweight (P < 0.05), weight gain (P < 0.01) and feed intake (P < 0.01) when compared with birds fed with diet containing unpeeled cassava root meal (UCRM). The least (P < 0.01) final liveweight and weight gain and worst (P < 0.05) feed-to-gain ratio were obtained with chicks fed with diet containing 200 g/kg UCRM. Increased dietary inclusion levels of cassava root resulted in significant increase (P < 0.05) in white blood cell (WBC) count, heterophil count and serum thiocyanate concentration. In comparison with chicks fed with diet containing UCRM, dietary inclusion of PCRM resulted in increased (P < 0.05) red blood cell (RBC) count and haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and reduced (P < 0.05) white blood cell (WBC) count and serum thiocyanate concentration. Although inclusion of 100 g/kg PCRM showed some economic sense, dietary inclusion of either peeled or unpeeled cassava root poses a threat on growth and health status of broiler chicks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Agriculture, P.M B. 2240, Abeokuta, Nigeria, akapogodisable@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Abiola Olajetemi
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Akapo
authors.forename: Abimbola Oladele
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Oso
authors.forename: Adeyemi Mustapha
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bamgbose
authors.forename: Kehinde A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sanwo
authors.forename: Adebayo Vincent
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Jegede
authors.forename: Richard Abayomi
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sobayo
authors.forename: Olusegun Mark
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Idowu
authors.forename: Juexin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Rotimi A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Olorunsola
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D006856:Hydrogen Cyanide / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D002365:Manihot / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects; D003313:Zea mays
chemical_list: D006856:Hydrogen Cyanide