Nutritional Potential of Oven Dried Cassava Starch Effluent Waste on Performance and Blood Profile of Broiler Chicken

FORMOSA NEWS Nigeria - Cassava Waste at 25% Improves Broiler Growth and Cuts Feed Costs, Study Finds.
This finding was revealed in research by Adewale Tirimisiyu Rafiu, Abolaji Idris Alao, and Eden Olusegun Okanlawon from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, was published in the International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research in 2026. The finding matter for poultry farmers facing rising feed costs. Maize prices have increased sharply over the past decade, while cassava production continues to grow in tropical countries. Turning cassava starch waste into feed could reduce production costs and support sustainable agriculture without compromising bird health.

Why Cassava Waste?
Feed accounts for up to 70% of poultry production costs. As maize becomes more expensive and less accessible, researchers are exploring alternative energy sources for broilers. Cassava starch processing generates large volumes of effluent waste, which often poses environmental challenges. Instead of discarding it, the LAUTECH team tested whether oven-dried cassava starch effluent waste (CSEW) could serve as a cost-effective feed ingredient. The key question: How much can be included without harming growth or health?

How the Study Was Conducted
The experiment took place at the Teaching and Research Farm of LAUTECH in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Researchers used 150 day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks, divided into three dietary groups:

• T1 (Control) – 0% cassava waste
• T2 – 25% oven-dried cassava waste inclusion
• T3 – 50% oven-dried cassava waste inclusion

Each group contained 50 birds, arranged in five replicates. The trial lasted six weeks.

Researchers measured:

• Growth performance (weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio)
• Carcass characteristics
• Organ development
• Blood and serum biochemical parameters

All data were analyzed using ANOVA statistical procedures.

Key Findings
1. Growth Performance

• Birds fed the control diet recorded the highest average weight gain (2238.70g).
• Birds on 25% inclusion performed nearly the same (2220.02g).
• Birds on 50% inclusion showed significantly lower weight gain (1990.22g).

Feed intake decreased as inclusion levels increased. However, feed conversion ratio (FCR) remained statistically similar across treatments.
Importantly, the lowest cost per kilogram weight gain was observed at 25% inclusion, making it the most economically efficient option.
Conclusion: 25% inclusion maintains performance while reducing feed costs.

2. Carcass and Meat Yield
Moderate inclusion (25%) supported good live and slaughter weights. While some carcass parts such as breast weight slightly declined at higher inclusion levels, thigh and shank development improved at moderate inclusion. At 50%, some carcass traits declined, indicating that excessive substitution may dilute nutrient density.

3. Organ Development
Higher inclusion levels influenced internal organ weights:

• Liver and kidney weights increased slightly at 50%.
• Intestinal segments showed variation, suggesting digestive adaptation.

However, these changes reflected physiological adjustment rather than disease.

4. Blood and Health Indicators
Hematological and serum parameters remained within safe physiological ranges.

• Packed cell volume (PCV) showed only slight reduction at 50%.
• Liver enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP) decreased at 25%, suggesting no liver damage.
• Creatinine increased slightly at 50% but remained within normal limits.

Overall, 25% inclusion preserved optimal health balance, while 50% caused mild physiological shifts but no severe toxicity.

What This Means for Poultry Farmers
According to Rafiu, Alao, and Okanlawon from LAUTECH, moderate inclusion of processed cassava waste supports sustainable poultry production by:

• Reducing dependence on maize
• Lowering feed cost per kilogram gain
• Maintaining growth performance
• Preserving organ and blood health
• Supporting circular bioeconomy principles

The study emphasizes that inclusion level matters. While 25% delivers economic and biological benefits, 50% may reduce growth performance due to fiber load and nutrient dilution.

Recommendations
The researchers recommend:

1. Determining the precise metabolizable energy value of cassava waste.
2. Testing inclusion levels between 25% and 50% to find the exact threshold.
3. Comparing other processing methods such as fermentation.
4. Conducting long-term commercial farm trials.

Further research may help refine cassava waste use as a mainstream poultry feed ingredient.

Author Profiles

• Adewale Tirimisiyu Rafiu Researcher in poultry nutrition and alternative feed resources, LAUTECH Ogbomoso.
• Abolaji Idris Alao Academic specializing in animal production and feed formulation, LAUTECH.
• Eden Olusegun Okanlawon Lecturer and corresponding author, expert in poultry performance and metabolic studies, LAUTECH Ogbomoso.

Research Source
Adewale Tirimisiyu Rafiu, Abolaji Idris Alao, and Eden Olusegun Okanlawon. Nutritional Potential of Oven Dried Cassava Starch Effluent Waste on Performance and Blood Profile of Broiler Chicken. International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research (IJSMR), Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 57–72. 2026.

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.55927/ijsmr.v4i1.863
URL:  https://mryformosapublisher.org/index.php/ijsmr