PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF MAIZE WITH PROCESSED FALSE YAM (Icacina oliviformis) SEED MEALS IN GUINEA FOWL DIETS

Abstract

Two feeding trials involving young guinea fowls were conducted to determine the effects of processed false yam seed meals on their growth performance. Crushed seeds were divided into 2 lots. One lot was boiled for 2 h and labeled BFYSM, whereas the other lot was soaked for 12 days and labeled SFYSM. Both lots were washed with water after boiling or soaking, sun-dried for 8 days and ground into gritty meals. In Experiment 1, BFYSM was fed to 96 ten-week-old pearl guinea fowls; while in Experiment 2, SFYSM was given to 96 five-week-old pearl guinea fowls. In each Experiment, 4 dietary treatments containing the seed meal sample at 0, 5, 10 and 15% as partial substitute for maize were tested using a Completely Randomized Design. Each treatment was replicated thrice with each replicate comprising 8 unsexed birds. In both experiments, mean feed intakes were similar (P>0.05) for all treatments. Mean live weight gain tended (P>0.05) to decrease slightly as the level of each seed meal increased in the diets. Gain/feed ratios were not significantly (P>0.05) different among the treatments in both experiments. Total feed cost was (P>0.05) similar for all treatments in both experiments. It is concluded that the processed false yam seed meals had no adverse effects on growth performance of guinea fowls when incorporated in their diets up to 15% was cost-effective.