ABSTRACT

The use of four different fibre sources (maize offal, wheat offal, rice milling waste and Brewers' dried grain) as substitute for maize in the diet of local turkeys was investigated, to determine their proximate composition, minerals, gross energy, optimal substitution levels for maize, efficiency of nutrient utilization by turkeys, their effect on carcass, organ proportions haematological indices and blood chemistry, also to evaluate the economic efficiency of substituting maize with these fibre sources in turkey diets. Four different experiments designated as Experiments 1,2,3 and 4 containing maize offal, wheat offal, rice milling waste and Brewers' dried grain respectively were used. Five Turkey grower and finisher diets were formulated in each experiment by substituting maize with each of the fibre sources at 0%, 25%, 50% 75% and 100% respectively. 100 Local turkey poults raised on commercial broiler starter diets for 4 weeks were randomly allotted to the five treatment diets in each experimenv . Each treatment group of 20 poults was replicated two times with 10 poults per replicate in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. Each experiment lasted 20 weeks. Parameters measured include: productive performance, economics of production, haematological indices, blood chemistry, nutrient utilization and carcass qualities. Results obtained were as follows: In Experiment 1, 50% maize offal substitution showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher values in the mean final weight, mean final weight gain, mean daily weight gain, and best feedto-gain ratio, at the grower and finisher phases. Benefit was also highest at 50%, with moderate feed cost, best feed-to-gain ratio, good quality blood chemistry, best nutrient utilization and highest carcass yield. while treatment 5 (100%) showed the lowest values at the grower and finisher phases. In Experiment 2, substituting maize with 25% wheat offal, produced enhanced performance that was next to the control in terms of mean final weight and mean daily weight gain while 50% substitution gave a good response that was next to the control at the finisher phase. In Experiment 3, substituting maize with 50% Rice milling waste produced enhanced performance that was next to the control at the grower and finisher phases, in terms of mean final weight, mean final weight gain, and highest benefit, good blood quality, best nutrient utilization and highest carcass yield. In Experiment 4, substituting maize with 50% Brewer's Dried grain enhanced the final weight, mean final weight gain, best feed-to-gain ratio, highest benefit, nutrient utilization and carcass yield. On comparative basis, the results obtained showed that, 25% and 50% substitution with Brewers' Dried Grain proved superior to other fibre sources in terms of mean final weight, mean final weight gain, mean daily weight gain, and best feed-to--gain ratio. It also showed the highest benefit, best nutrient utilization and carcass yield followed by maize offal, Wheat offal showed the lowest performance at the grower and finisher phases. At 75% and 100% substitution, the control diet showed higher values in all the parameters studied followed by BDG, maize offal, and rice milling waste wheat offal remained the poorest. Results of this study revealed that substituting maize with 50% maize offal, Rice milling waste and Brewers' Dried grain (BDG) gave promising results at the grower and finisher phases. While 25% substitution with wheat offal at the grower phase and 50% at the finisher phase is recommended.