Abstract:
The growth and reproductive response of finisher cockerels fed dietary inclusion of cassava tuber wastes were investigated. 210 day old chicks were randomly assigned to seven treatment groups with thirty (30) birds per treatment. Each treatment was replicated thrice with 10 birds per replicate. Cassava peels and cassava starch residue were fermented using two different strains of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus delbrueckii and Lactobacillus coryneformis) and a fungus (Aspergillus fumigatus). Seven experimental diets were formulated to contain graded levels of the microbially fermented cassava peel and cassava starch residue at 0%, 20%, 40% and 60%. Diet 1 which served as control diet contained 0%, diet 2 contained 20% microbially fermented cassava peel (20% MFCP), diet 3 contained 40% microbially fermented cassava peel (40% MFCP), diet 4 contained 60% microbially fermented cassava peel (60% MFCP), diet 5 contained 20% microbially fermented cassava starch residue (20% MFCSR), diet 6 contained 40% microbially fermented cassava starch residue (40% MFCSR) and diet 7 contained 60% microbially fermented cassava starch residue (60% MFCSR) respectively. These diets were fed at the starter and finisher phases of the experiment divided into eight (8) weeks each. Results from the study showed that the final body weight of the cockerel finishers was significantly different (P<0.05). T4 (1002.82±64.56g) had the lowest final body weight while (T1) 1635.19±32.45g had the highest final body weight. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) also showed statistical differences (P<0.05) among dietary treatments with T4 (8.77±0.62) performing least in terms of feed conversion ratio and T1 (4.42±0.17) performing best. Results obtained from the gonadal sperm reserve showed that the gonadal sperm reserve (GSR) of T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7 (all with dietary inclusion of cassava tuber wastes) compared favorably with the control diet (T1) and with no significant difference (P>0.05). T6 had the highest mean value for the gonadal
