Growth Performance and Nutrient Retention of Broiler Chickens Fed Aspergillus niger Hydrolysed Cassava Peel Based Diet

The effect of Aspergillus niger hydrolysis on cassava peel meal based diet on the growth performance and nutrient retention of broiler chickens was studied. Delignified cassava peel was used as the carbon source in a composed medium under a pH of 5.0, concentration 3% and 35C to grow Aspergillus niger for five days. The culture filtrate obtained was then used to hydrolyze delignified cassava peel used as replacement for maize in broiler chicken feed at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% respectively to meet the nutrient requirement of broilers. A total of thirty six, two weeks old unsexed broiler chickens with average initial bodyweight of 0.685±0.0027g were divided into six groups A to F (two replicates of three chickens per group) and allocated to six dietary treatments. Growth and cost of production of the chickens decreased significantly as the cassava inclusion increases (P<0.05) while nutrient retention also decreased significantly (P<0.05) as inclusion level of cassava increases. All chickens fed on hydrolyzed cassava peel (A to E) recorded 0% mortality while those in group F fed on unhydrolyzed cassava peels recorded 100% mortality at the end of the 42 days feeding trials. It was then concluded that maize can be replaced with up to 50% hydrolyzed cassava peels in chicken feed without deleterious effects.