Effect of feeding cashew apple waste replacing maize on the performance of broilers

An experiment was conducted using one hundred eighty commercial broiler chicks with diets replacing 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 per cent of maize with Cashew apple waste (CAW) on weight by weight basis for a duration of six weeks. Proximate composition showed that CAW contained more crude protein than maize. There was significant decrease in the body weight gains due to inclusion of cashew apple waste (5–20%) in the diet of broiler chicks at six week of age. Chicks fed control diet had highest body weight gain. Feed consumption significantly reduced at all the levels of replacement except at 5% level of replacement. Feed efficiency was increased significantly at all the levels of replacement. Chicks fed control diet had significantly better feed efficiency. Carcass traits and organ weights did not show any significant variation among the treatments. The results of the present trial indicated that the net profit per bird was reduced when there was gradual increase in the inclusion level of CAW in the diet of broiler chicks. Hence, it is concluded that inclusion of cashew apple waste could be detrimental to the production performance of broilers without any adverse effect on the carcass traits and organ weights.