GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILERS FED VARYING LEVELS OF SOAKED FALSE YAM (ICACINA OLIVIFORMIS) TUBER MEAL

Abstract

False yam (Icacina oliviformis) contains an anti-nutritional factor called resin or terpene and soaking the tuber in water may reduce the concentration of this factor and improve its nutritional value. The objective of this study was to determine the effects feeding three levels (0, 120 and150 g/kg) of the soaked false yam tuber on the growth performance of broilers. The tubers were peeled, chopped into smaller pieces, soaked in water (i.e. 1 part to 1.5 parts of water) for 15 d with continual changing of the water being every 3 d. After soaking, the chopped pieces were sun-dried (~85% DM) before being milled into gritty meal. The soaked false yam tuber meal (SFYTM) replaced maize (w/w) in a maize-fishmeal-based grower mash (210 g/kg CP and 12.6 MJ/kg ME) at 0, 120 and 150 g/kg. A total of 90 chicks (21 d; 348 g) were divided into 9 groups of 10 chicks (6 males, 4 females) per replicate and assigned to the treatments in a Completely Randomized Design. Data were analysed by ANOVA using GenStat. Incorporation of SFYTM at 120 and 150 g/kg as substitute for maize resulted in significant (P<0.05) reductions in mean feed intake, live weight gain, gain/feed ratio and carcass yield of the broilers. These results suggest that feed including SFYTM at ≥120 g/kg had adverse effects on the growth performance of broilers.