Acceptability, growth performance and nutritional status of chickens fed cassava leaf meal (CLM)-based diets.

This study evaluated the effect of feeding cassava leaf meal-based diets on feeding behavioural patterns, growth performance parameters and nutritional status of chickens. A total of 200 Cobb-500 female chickens (initial weight 0.53 ± 0.098 kg) were used in the experiment. The chickens were subjected to treatment diets with cassava leaf meal (CLM) included in diets at 0, 100, 200 and 300 g/kg. Number of visits to the feeder/drinker, duration of each visit on the feeder/drinker, average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (gain:feed ratio), total protein (TP), albumin, globulin and creatine kinase (CK) were the response variables that were measured of interest. Effects of inclusion level of CLM in diets of chickens on number of visits to the feeder and drinker was significant (P < 0.05). Duration of each visit on the feeder increased (P < 0.05) with inclusion level of CLM in diets of chickens. Conversely, time spent by chickens on the drinker decreased with inclusion level of CLM in diets (P < 0.05). Average daily gain and G:F decreased linearly (P < 0.05) with inclusion level of CLM in diets of chickens. Albumin, globulin and total protein in blood of chickens increased linearly (P < 0.05) with inclusion level of CLM in diets of chickens. From the study, it can be concluded that acceptability of diets with inclusion of CLM during the growing-finishing phase of the chickens was not affected. However, weight gain was compromised at higher inclusion levels of CLM in diets of chickens.