Effects of Substituting Maize with Ground Cassava Tuber on Egg Production and Quality of White Leghorn Hens

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of substituting maize with ground cassava tuber on performances of white leghorn hens. One hundred ninety-five 32 weeks old white leghorn chickens were used to determine egg production, quality and economics performance of layers fed ration containing peeled and sundried cassava tuber meal (PSCTM) at level of 0 (T1, control), 25 (T2), 50 (T3), 75 (T4) and 100% (T5) by replacing maize grain in the control ration. Birds were randomly distributed to five dietary treatments and replicated thrice each with 13 hens and two cocks. The experiment was conducted for 90 consecutive days. Hens were individually weighed at the start and end of the experiment. Data on dry matter intake (DMI), hen day egg production (HDEP), egg mass and egg weight were recorded daily, whereas egg quality parameters were determined weekly. The result of the study revealed that dry matter intake of layers (80.7, 87.5, 80.8, 83.4 and 83.0) was not significantly different (P > 0.05) among the treatments. Average daily body weight gain was significantly higher (P<0.05) for T2 (0.27 gm/bird) compared to the other treatment groups. Feed conversion ratio, percentage hen- day egg production (and egg mass were higher in T3. There was no difference (P>0.05) among treatments on egg quality parameters except yolk color which was higher for T5. Based on the results of this study, T3(50%) replacement of maize by cassava tuber meal appeared to be a diet of good feeding value, more economical or reasonably cheaper ration which can be used as energy supplement in formulation of layers ration without adverse effects on egg laying performance of white leghorn layers.