title: Comparative effects of corn-based diet and phase-fed cassava-based diet on growth rate, carcass characteristics and lipid profile of meat-type ducks.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of a corn- or cassava- based diet on the production of meat-type ducks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred day-old ducks were used in this experiment. They were divided into five groups with each group replicated eight times. The ducks fed the corn-based diets served as the control group. The four other groups comprised different treatments, with each one given the cassava-based diet based on phase-feeding. Three treatments were fed the cassava-based diet from 16, 28, and 35 d; respectively up to 42 d of age and the other group was fed the cassava-based diet from 1 to 42 d of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated that ducks on either the corn- or cassava-based diets were similar in growth during 1 to 9 d of age. However, toward 35 to 42 d, the cassava-diet produced a higher weight gain (p<0.05). The cassava-based diet was better than the corn-based diet at increasing the outer and inner breast weights at 28, 35, or 42 d (p<0.05). In contrast, the corn-based diet was better at increasing abdominal fat (p<0.05). The two diets did not differ in their effects on the serum triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, very-low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and liver cholesterol. The corn-based diet, however, caused a highly significantly greater level of liver triglyceride (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that both the cassava- and corn- based diets are similar in their effect on meat-type ducks during the starter stage but toward the finisher stage, the cassava-based diet has a better influence on weight gain and carcass characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Saowalak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saree
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Chaiyapoom
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bunchasak
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Choawit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rakangtong
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Jessada
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakdee
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.|Department of Agricultural Technology and Development, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Chang Mai 50330, Thailand.
authors.forename: Nuttawut
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Krutthai
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Theerawit
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Poeikhampha
keywords: Cassava; Corn; Ducks; Feedstuffs; Lipid Metabolism; Phase Feeding