| Summary: | This study evaluated the effect of inclusion of 0, 10, 20 and 30% dried cassava peel meal (DCPM) in the diet of broiler chickens over the period from 1 to 42 days of age on nutrient intake, animal performance, and carcass yield. Two hundred Cobb broiler chickens (1 day old) were allocated in a completely randomized design consisting of four inclusion levels of DCPM (treatment), with 10 animals per box and 5 boxes per treatment. The different levels of DCPM did not alter (P>0.05) dietary dry matter (DM) or organic matter intake, expressed as g/animal/day, kg DMS/kg0.75, and percentage of body weight. However, the addition of DCPM resulted in a linear increase (P<0.05) in crude protein intake and in a quadratic increase (P<0.05) in neutral detergent fiber intake. Furthermore, the different DCPM levels led to a linear decrease (P<0.05) in average daily gain, average total gain, and feed efficiency of broiler chickens during the period studied. Feed conversion increased linearly (P<0.05) in broiler chickens from 1 to 42 days of age with inclusion of DCPM in the diets. The inclusion of increasing levels of DCPM in the diet of broiler chickens slaughtered at 42 days of age exerted a linear decreasing effect (P<0.05) on slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, and chest, wing, thigh and back weight. The inclusion of more than 10% DCPM in the diet of broiler chickens from 1 to 42 days of age reduces feed and nutrient intake, weight gain, and carcass and noble cut yield.
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