Performance Response of Broiler Chickens to Dietary Maize Stover with Mycotoxin Binder (Toxidex®) Inclusion
A 49-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the performance, carcass characteristics, and haematological responses of broiler chickens fed maize stover-based diets supplemented with a mycotoxin binder (Toxidex®) as a partial replacement for yellow maize. A total of 144 day-old Abor Acre broiler chicks were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments in a Completely Randomised Design (CRD). Each treatment had three replicates of eight birds per replicate. The diets were formulated to contain 0% (control), 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% maize stover, each supplemented with Toxidex®. Birds were fed and watered ad libitum throughout the experimental period. Data were collected on feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Blood samples were analysed for haematological parameters following standard laboratory procedures. The results showed a significant (P < 0.05) difference in body weight and carcass characteristics among treatment groups. Birds fed the 15% maize stover diet supplemented with Toxidex® recorded the best FCR (2.42), highest live weight (1703.33 g), and dressed weight (1166.67 g). Haematological parameters were generally not significantly affected (P > 0.05), except for packed cell volume (PCV). The highest mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) value (34.66 pg) was observed in birds fed the 25% maize stover diet. In conclusion, maize stover supplemented with Toxidex® can effectively replace up to 15–20% of dietary yellow maize in broiler diets without negative effects on growth performance, carcass yield, or haematological indices, likely due to the mycotoxin-binding capacity of phyllosilicates in Toxidex®.
Keywords: Broiler Chicken, Maize Stover, Mycotoxin Binder (Toxidex®)
