Author(s)

Kemmo Kenhagho Arielle Priscila^1*, Tchouan Deffo Gilchrist¹, Ngouana Tadjong Ruben², Edie Nounamo Langston Wilfried¹, Kana Jean Raphael¹

¹Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroun.
²Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Science of Yabassi, Aquaculture Department, Laboratory of Aquaculture and Demography of Fisheries Resources, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon.

The present study was designed to evaluate Dioscarea bulbifera flour as potential feed ingredient in broilers diets. For this purpose, 256-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks, were divided into 4 groups replicated 4 times in a completely randomized design. A control ration (R0) containing maize as the main energy source was compared to three other rations in which 50%, 75% and 100% maize were substituted with Dioscarea bulbifera flour. The main results showed that, the increasing rate of Dioscarea bulbifera flour had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on the digestibility of feed components. Feed intake was higher with 50% and 75% Dioscarea bulbifera flour inclusion levels. As compared to the control ration, a significant (p < 0.05) drop in live weight and weight gain was recorded with 50% substitution while feed conversion ratio increased significantly with increasing level of Dioscarea bulbifera flour in the ration. Dioscarea bulbifera flour induced a linear and significant (p < 0.05) increase in the relative weight of the gizzard, liver and production cost. It was concluded that, substituting 50% maize with Dioscarea bulbifera flour could be a sustainable solution to palliate the growing inflation of maize as animal feed ingredient. However, the incorporation level of Dioscarea bulbifera as feed ingredient in substitution of maize must not exceed 50% at the risk of depreciating growth performance of broilers.

Diocorea bulbifera, Growth Performance, Cost of Production, Broilers, Maize Substitute

Arielle Priscila, K. , Gilchrist, T. , Ruben, N. , Langston Wilfried, E. and Raphael, K. (2023) Effects of Replacing Maize with Dioscarea bulbifera Flour on Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 13, 217-231. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2023.132016.