PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS FED BITTER LEAF AND MORINGA LEAF MEAL BASED DIETS UNDER SINGLE PHASE FEEDING REGIME

ABSTRACT

The effect of feeding bitter leaf and moringa leaf meals based diets under single phase feed regime on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics and sensory evaluation of broiler chickens was investigated. One hundred and eighty Cobb 500 strains of day old chicks were sorted and randomly distributed to six dietary treatments. Each treatment was replicated thrice with ten birds per replicate in a completely randomized design experiment. The treatments were 0 % each of bitter leaf meal and moringa leaf meal for the control. Treatment 2 and 3 were 2 % bitter leaf meal and 2 % moringa leaf meal respectively. While Treatment 4 contained 2 % each of bitter leaf meal and moringa leaf meal. Treatments 5 and 6 contained 4 % bitter leaf meal and moringa leaf meal respectively. Results showed that feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio, apparent nutrient digestibility and carcass cuts part where all influenced by the dietary treatments (p<0.05). But birds on 2 % and 4 % moringa leaf meal diet performed better on feed intake and weight gain. While birds on 2 % combination of bitter leaf and moringa leaf meals had better feed conversion  than other dietary treatments. Ash, either extract and NFE where influenced as birds on 2 % moringa leaf meal. Carcass cuts  part  were significantly influenced  by bitter leaf and  moringa leaf  meals.  However, sensory evaluation were not influenced by the dietary treatment. It could therefore be recommended that 4% moringa leaf meal be included in the diets of broiler chickens for better improved performance.   The carcass characteristics indicate that birds fed 2 % of bitter leaf and 2 % of moringa leaf meals have the highest dressing percentage and also have the highest abdominal fat.Sensory evaluation indicated that all the meat were generally accepted in terms of colour, juiciness, flavor, aroma, tenderness and overall acceptability.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the Study

Poultry production remains the most widespread of all livestock enterprises; it constitutes an important pillar of food security improvements as well as socio-cultural and economic developments in most countries (Alders, 2005, Dieye et al., 2010). Broiler chickens production is a source of income; it is also a good source of protein and have quick returns to investment (Kekocha, 1994). However, the industry in the developing countries is facing some challenges. These challenges include high feed to gain ratio and increase in the cost of feed because of high prices of feed ingredients (Abbas, 2013). Numerous attempts have been made to overcome these challenges, and one of them involves the use of feed additives.

Feed additives are ingredients added to poultry diets to enhance production efficiency, improve health and reduce morbidity (FAC, 1998). Recently, plant based feed additives also known as phytogenics have been advocated to be included in broiler chickens feeds as growth promoting feed additives, because of their abundance in our natural environment and the fact that they do not have residual effect (Ndelekwute et al., 2015). Their non-residual effect is because, according to Kohlert et al. (2000), the active ingredients of phytogenic feed additives are absorbed in the intestine by enterocytes and  are  quickly  metabolized  by  the  body.  Phytogenics  can  improve  feed  consumption,  feed conversion, feed digestibility and weight gain of broiler chickens (Cardoso et al., 2012).

Bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina) is a valuable plant with antimicrobial activity that is widespread in East and West Africa (Burkill, 1985). In Nigeria, it is a staple vegetable leaf used to prepare soup especially in the South Eastern part. Some principal chemical constituents found in bitter leaf are steroid  glycoside  and  vernonioside  B1,  which  possesses  potent  anti-parasitic,  anti-tumor  and

bactericidal properties (Tadesse et al., 1993). Durunna et al. (2011) reported that bitter leaf contained

15.67 % crude protein, 11.53 % crude fibre and 6.95 % ether extract. It has been reported that bitter leaf meal used in poultry production was able to increase feed conversion efficiency of broiler birds without  affecting  their  haematological  profile  (Olobatoke  and  Olonirula,  2009).  Bitter  leaf  may provide anti-oxidant benefits (Erasto et al., 2007).

Moringa oleifera leaves are reported to have potential prebiotic effects and potentially antioxidant phytochemicals, such as chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid (Siddhuraju and Becker, 2003). Moringa oleifera  leaf  meal,  is  widely  available  in  many  tropical  countries.  It  is  also  a  good  source  of antioxidant compounds such as ascorbic acid, flavonoids, phenolics and carotenoids (Teixeira et al.,

2014).  The  underlying  effects  of  the  bioactive  compounds  in  M.  oleifera  leaves  are  not  clear. However, they are believed to induce prebiotic effects, bacterial and immune-stimulant activities (Ghazalah and Ali, 2008) resulting in increased productivity of broiler chickens. Similar effects have been observed in the presence of antibiotic growth promoters (Gbasi et al., 2000; Khalafalla et al.,

2010; Olugbemi et al, 2010). Moringa oleifera leaf has the calcium equivalent of four glasses of milk, three times the iron of spinach, four times the amount of vitamin A in carrot, and two times the protein in milk (Loren, 2007). The leaf of Moringa is a good source of protein, vitamins A, B, C and minerals such as calcium and iron (Dahot, 1988). The leaf of Moringa has high protein content which is between 20-33 % on a dry weight bases. The protein is of high quality having significant quantities of all the essential amino acids as reported by Foibl and Paull (2008). Murro et al. (2003) reported that the leaves contain a high level of vitamin A, B, C and calcium. Kakengi et al. (2003) reported that Moringa oleifera leaf meal was substituted for sun flower seed meal as a protein source for layers. The effects of substitution on feed intake, dry matter intake, body weight gain, laying percentage and feed conversion ratio were investigated and it was found that Moringa leaves could completely replace soya

meal up to 20 % without detrimental effects on layers performance. However, the crude fibre content if high can impair nutrient digestion and absorption (Aderemi, 2003; Omu 2011).

1.2       Statement of the Research Problem

Growing concern about antibiotic growth promoters in poultry nutrition has resulted into efforts being made to use different alternative growth promoting agents. This is because of the emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens and its residual effects in meat and meat products which constitute adverse effect to consumers (Lee et al., 2004). Consequently, this has resulted to a ban on the use of synthetic antibiotics in poultry production (Donoghue, 2003). However, there is limited research work on the combination of these two leaves on the performance of broiler chicken.

1.3       Justification for the Study

The use of antibiotic growth promoters has been criticized due to its possible anti-microbial resistance in humans, thus the search for alternatives. Bans on the use of antibiotics as feed additives have accelerated and led to investigations of natural alternative feed additives in animal

Production (Polatetal, 2011).

Numerous studies have indicated the benefits of bitter leaf (Chiemela  et al., 2015) and moringa

(Banjo, 2012) on broiler chicken.

Bitter leaf and moringa are readily available, affordable and possesses a lot of medicinal values with no reported negative effects thus its usage will reduced the cost of poultry production.

1.4       Aim and Objectives of the Study

This study is aimed at generating information on the effect of feeding diets containing bitter leaf and moringa leaf meals with their combinations on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler birds.

The objectives of the study are to:

i.      Monitor  the  growth  performance  of  broiler  chickens  fed  diets  containing  bitter  leaf  and moringa leaf meals with their combinations

ii.      Assess the nutrient digestibility of broiler birds fed diets containing bitter leaf and moringa leaf meals with their combinations

iii.      Determine the effect of feeding diets containing bitter leaf and moringa leaf meals with their combinations on the carcass characteristics of broiler chickens.

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