Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Dual-Purpose “Potchefstroom Koekoek”Chickens Fed Varying Levels of Raw (Sun-Dried) Boloso-1 Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Corm Meal

Abstract

A 91 day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of different inclusion levels of processed Boloso-1 taro corm (Colocasiaesculenta) meal on growth performance and carcass characteristics of dual-purpose Koekoeck chickens. Three hundred koekoek of one day old were randomly assigned to five treatment diets. Diets 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 contain 0%, 3%, 6%, 9% and 12% levels of processed taro corm meal. Each treatment was replicated three times with 20 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. The result of the experiment shows significant differences (p<0.05) in final body weight, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and average daily weight gain. However, T2 had the highest (925.27 g) final body weight while T5 had the lowest (775.21 g). The higher and better (P<0.05) final body weight of T2 could be attributed to the difference in feed composition or the acceptability of the diets or other factors. Mortality was the same across all dietary treatments. Inclusion of sun dried processed Boloso-I Taro corm meal up to 9% level was acceptable since inclusion at this level did not adversely affect the production performance of dual purpose Koekoek chicken in terms of growth rate, mortality rate, and feeding efficiency. The use of taro meal as nonconventional and alternative carbohydrate source in poultry diet presents positive economic implications, especially to small hold farmers from the developing countries.

Keywords:Dual purpose,Taro corm, growth performance, feed intake, Koekoek,Corm Meal, Colocasiaesculenta.

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/13-17-02

Publication date:October 31^st 2023