The Growth Performance, Carcass and Haematological Characteristics of Broiler Chickens Fed Alkaline-Treated Tiger Nut (Cyperus Esculentus) Residue Meal

A fifty six (56) day repeated feeding trial was conducted to investigate the nutritive value of alkaline-treated tiger nut residue meal (ATTNRM) and raw tiger nut residue meal (RTNRM) using 240 unsexed day-old broiler chicks. The birds were allotted to four dietary treatments containing 0, 10, 20 % ATTNRM and a 10 % RTNRM respectively, in a completely randomized design with three replications of 20 birds in each treatment. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum. Data Collected showed significant (p < 0.05) differences between birds fed control diets and those fed alkaline-treated tiger nut based diets beyond 20 % dietary inclusion in all the parameters measured. The inclusion of ATTNRM in broiler chickens at 10 % was statistically superior (p < 0.05) to other dietary treatments including the control diet in feed intake, mean weight gain, mean final body weight and feed conversion ratio. Mean final body weight declined from 2544 g on the 10 % ATTNRM diet to a low of 1894 g on the 20 % ATTNRM diet. Total weight gains averaged 2274, 2487, 1838 and 1848 g respectively for broiler chickens fed on the 0, 10, 20 % ATTNRM and a 10 % RTNRM diets, while the average feed: gain ratio rose from 2.26 for the 10% ATTNRM to 2.42, 2.66 and 2.67 for the diets incorporating 0 %, ATTNRM, 10 % RTNRM and 20 % ATTNRM in that order. Average daily feed intake similarly increased from 97.9 g per bird on the control diet to 100.2 g per bird on the lowest level of ATTNRM. Differences in carcass, haematological and biochemical indices were, however, not (p > 0.05) significant. The haematological and biochemical values obtained in this study were within the normal range of birds, and an indicative of nutritional adequacy of dietary protein. The results of this study indicate that in diets formulated to be similar with respect to their content of nutrients, the addition of 10 % ATTNRM enhances the performance of broiler chickens.