ONU P.N., MADUBUIKE F.N
Abstract
The effect of raw and cooked wild cocoyam (caladium bicolor) on the performance of broiler chicks was investigated in a feeding trial that lasted for 28 days. Wild cocoyam corms were divided into two batches. One batch was ground raw and the other batch was cooked before grinding. Wild cocoyam meals so prepared were used to formulate 5 broiler starter diets at dietary inclusion levels of 0 %, 10 %, and 20 % raw and cooked wild cocoyam respectively. One hundred and twenty (120) 7-day-old Anak broiler chicks were randomly allotted to the five treatment diets in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and each group was further subdivided into three replicates. Measurements recorded included weight gain, feed intake feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio. Results shows significant ( P < 0.05) improvement in feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and PER of birds fed cooked wild cocoyam meals. Marked (P < 0.05) reduction was however, obtained in feed intake and feed conversion ratio of birds fed raw wild cocoyam diets. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference between birds fed maize-based (control) and cooked wild cocoyam diets . Results of this experiment indicated that cooking improved the nutritive value of wild cocoyam since birds fed cooked wild cocoyam diets produced best results and that broiler chicks could tolerate up to 20 % dietary inclusion level of cooked wild cocoyam without any deleterious effect. Economics of production showed that cooked wild cocoyam diets were more profitable as regards the cost of feed per kg weight gain (N) and thus cost savings (%
Key words:
Raw wild cocoyam, cooked wild cocoyam, broiler chicks, performance.