Growth performance and carcass yield of broiler chickens fed commercial finisher and cassava copra meal-based diets

A three-week experiment was conducted to investigate the utilisation of a diet based on cassava root meal and copra meal by finishing broiler chickens. A total of ninety-six 21-day-old Cobb broilers were used for the experiment. The birds were weighed and allotted to six pens containing 16 birds each. A finisher diet based on cassava and copra meal and a commercial broiler finisher diet were fed each to three randomly selected pens for a period of 21 days. Results showed poorer (P < 0.05) final body weight, daily feed intake, daily gain and feed: gain ratio of birds fed the test feed compared to those fed the control commercial feed, but feed cost of meat production (WST$/kg live weight) was reduced (P < 0.05) on the test feed. Birds on the commercial feed had higher (P < 0.05) carcass and breast meat yields, while the yields of thighs and drumsticks were not affected (P > 0.05) by the diet. There were no treatment effects (P > 0.05) on the weights of the liver, heart and caeca, but birds on the test feed recorded higher (P < 0.05) weights of the pancreas, gizzard and small intestine. Birds fed the control commercial feed deposited more (P < 0.05) fat than those fed the test feed. It was concluded that cassava copra meal-based finisher diets could be used to reduce cost of meat production and abdominal fat content and thus meat quality of broiler chickens. Further research into appropriate combinations of these ingredients for optimum growth and feed utilisation by broilers is recommended.