Abstract:
Corms such as wild cocoyam [Colocasia esculenta] have
potential to replace maize as a cheaper energy source in poultry rations. A
feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of graded levels of fermented
wild cocoyam [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] corm (FWCC), as substitutes
for maize in the diets of broilers at the starter phase. One hundred and twenty
unsexed day-old Hybro broiler chicks were randomly distributed to four dietary
treatments in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). There were 3 replicates
per dietary treatment with 10 birds per replicate. Diet 1 without FWCC served
as the control. Diets 2, 3 and 4 contained 10, 20 and 30% FWCC. Each of the
diets represented a treatment. The experimental diets and clean drinking water
were supplied ad libitum for 4 weeks (28 days) representing the starter
phase of the broiler production. Result of the performance revealed significant
(p<0.05) differences in feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio.
The economic analysis also showed that cost (