Utilization of Solid State Fermented Cassava Peel Leaf Mix Meal As a Substitute for Maize in Broiler Chickens’ Diets: Impact on Growth Performance, Carcass Indices and Lipid Peroxidation

Aims: This research explored the potential of fermented cassava peel and leaf meal (FCPLM) as a maize substitute in broiler chickens’ diets.Study Design:Completely Dandomized Design.Place and Duration of Study:The study took place at the Poultry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm of Landmark University in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government, Kwara State, Nigeria, located at coordinates 8°08′00′′N 5°06′00′′E for 7 weeks.Methodology:The cassava peel and leaf were combined in a 19:1 ratio, milled, and then inoculated with Aspergillus niger(ATCC 16404) for solid-state fermentation (SSF), lasting 96 hours at room temperature with a substrate to water ratio of 1.0:1.0. Subsequently, FCPLM was integrated into diets for 480 seven-day-old Anak broiler chickens, divided into four groups of 60 chicks each, with each group further divided into 3 replicates. The diets included: Diet 1 (control, no FCPLM), Diet 2 (20% FCPLM), Diet 3 (40% FCPLM), and Diet 4 (60% FCPLM).Results:Substituting maize with FCPLM significantly (P < 0.05) impacted broiler performance, carcass quality, lipid peroxidation, and production costs. Diet 3 exhibited the highest weight gain, optimal feed conversion ratio, and dressing percentage withrespective values of 2286.80g, 1.95 and 75.95%, compare to 2252.60g, 2.00 and 75.81%.for the same parameters in Diet 1. Furthermore, as FCPLM inclusion levels increased, meat peroxidation decreased from 1.26 mmol/ml (Diet 1) to 0.16 mmol/ml (Diet 4). The feed cost and cost per kilogramme of meat decreased with higher FCPLM levels, with highest percentages of 26.35% and 13.50% for feed cost reduction per kilogram of feed, and 13.50% for feed cost per kilogram of chicken meat respectively in Diet 4.Conclusion:The SSF with Aspergillus niger (ATCC 16404) enhances FCPLM, presenting a viable approach to enhance feed resources. This strategy improves feed efficiency, carcass yield, oxidative stability, and production costs