Thesis Abstract

<p> An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of using two different enzyme substrates on the performance of broilers fed peeled cassava root meal (PCRM), in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement in a completely randomised design experiment. One hundred and eighty-nine broiler chicks aged 14 days were assigned to nine experimental diets where PCRM replaced maize at 0, 50 and 75 percent levels. The diets were formulated to be roughly isonitrogenous and isoenergetic containing starter (15-36 days; 24% CP, 2800 Kcal/kg-1 ME) and finisher (37-58 days; 21% CP, 2800 Kcal/kg-1 ME) and 200ppm of enzyme (Nutrase xyla and Roxazyme G) were added to the diets. Results indicated that Nutrase xyla and Roxazyme G supplementation increased ADFI in the starter and finisher phases at all levels of PCRM inclusion (P&lt;0.05). The effect of nutrase xyla and roxazyme G supplementation on FCR was positvely significant in the finisher phase (P&lt;0.05). Roxazyme G spupplemented diet at 50% PCRM had the best least cost value in terms of feed cost per kg weight gain. There was an increase in dressed weight percentage in nutrase xyla and roxazyme G supplemented diets at 50% PCRM (P&lt;0.05). Nutrase xyla supplemented diet had increase significant effect (P&lt;0.05) on dry matter and metabolizable energy retention. Nutrase xyla and roxazyme G supplemented diets had no significant effect (P&gt;0.05) on edible organs (heart and gizzard). It is concluded that enzyme supplementation on PCRM-based diet had tremendous beneficial effect on production parameters. <br></p>

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