Effects of Dietary Cassava Leaf Protein Concentrate Inclusion on Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility in Broiler Chickens

This study evaluated the impact of dietary supplementation with Cassava Leaf Protein Concentrate (CLPC), extracted via temperature-controlled coagulation (4 °C for 24 hours followed by centrifugation and drying), on the growth performance, feed intake patterns, crude nutrient composition, and protein digestibility in broiler chickens over a 14-day feeding trial. A total of 48 broilers were assigned to six experimental groups (n = 8 per group): five treatment groups receiving incremental CLPC replacement levels (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 24%) and one commercial control group. Proximate analysis of the experimental diets revealed progressive increases in crude protein (ranging from 12.33 ± 0.09% in the 5% diet to 37.43 ± 0.09% in the 24% diet) and crude fiber (3.53 ± 0.03% to 8.47 ± 0.09%), alongside variations in moisture and ash content. Growth monitoring demonstrated significant treatment-dependent differences in final body weight and total percentage weight gain. Broilers fed the 15% CLPC diet achieved the highest relative percentage weight gain by Day 14 (211.40%), outperforming both the commercial control group (182.93%) and the 5% group (185.63%). Conversely, birds in the 24% CLPC group exhibited restricted weight gain (133.48%), despite consuming feed with higher crude protein content, alongside elevated daily percentage change in feed consumption during Week 1. Fecal protein excretion increased proportionally with dietary CLPC inclusion, peaking at 22.77 ± 0.03% (20% group) and 22.50 ± 0.06% (24% group). True Fecal Digestibility (TFD) was optimal at lower replacement levels, recorded at 53.07 ± 0.98% for the 10% group and 42.43 ± 0.44% for the 5% group, but declined markedly at higher inclusion levels (21.23 ± 0.09% for 20% group). These findings indicate that while CLPC is a viable, high-protein alternative ingredient for poultry rations, inclusion levels should be optimized at 10–15% to balance enhanced protein intake with favorable nutrient digestibility and growth performance.