Gliricidia Leaf Meal in Broiler Chickens Diet: Effects on Performance, Carcass, and Haemato-biochemical Parameters

Abstract

Aims: This study seeks to access the influence of Gliricidia leaf meal on broiler chickens’ growth performance, carcass traits, and haemato-biochemical parameters.
 Study Design: Completely randomised design.
 Place and Duration of Study: The 56-day feeding trial was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of Agricultural Technology Department, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.
 Methodology: Fresh Gliricidia sepium leaves were harvested, shade dried and milled to produce leaf meal. Three diets were formulated to contain Gliricidia sepium leaf meal (GLM) at 0 (control), 5 and 10% level. A total number of 144 day-old chicks of arbor acres were assigned to 3 dietary treatments of 3 replicates of 16 chicks per replicate in a completely randomised design experiment.
 Results: The total weight gain and total feed intake was lower (P<0.05) in broiler chicken fed 10% GLM inclusive diet (1890.48 g/b and 5188.90 g/b) compare to the total weight gain and total feed intake of those fed the control (2188.04 g/b and 5754.14 g/b) and 5% GLM inclusive diet (2154.31 g/b and 5579.04 g/b). The slaughter weight, dressed weight and dressed percentage of birds fed 10% GLM inclusive diet were lower (P<0.05) than those fed the control and 5% GLM inclusive diets. The liver, kidney and gizzard relative weights were higher (P<0.05) in the birds fed 10% GLM inclusive diet compared to those fed rest diets. The white blood cell count of birds fed control diet and 5% GLM inclusive diet were similar (P>0.05) but significantly (P<0.05) lower than white blood cell counts of birds fed 10% GLM inclusive diet. The cholesterol levels of birds fed GLM inclusive diets (5 and 10%) were lower (P<0.05) compare to those birds fed the control diet.
 Conclusion: The dietary gliricidia leaf meal at 5% inclusion level supports normal body weight gain, feed intake, carcass traits and normal health status of the broiler chickens.

Performance and Haematological Profile of Broiler Chickens Fed Diet Containing Atung (Parinarium glaberrimumHassk.) Seed Powder

“…On the other hand, the increase in WBC counts (still within the normal ranges) indicates a better ability to against infections disease (Olumide et al, 2018;Adedeji et al, 2019), which is seen in the birds fed diets with 1 and 2% atung seed powder. This result is comparable with some previous studies of Oleforuh-Okoleh et al (2015), Oloruntola (2018), Olumide et al (2018), andAnsari et al (2012), who reported that inclusion phytobiotic additives of garlic water extract, Glisiridia leaf meal, Ocimum gratissimum leaf meal, and A. indica leaf meal, respectively, increased WBC numbers significantly in broiler chickens. The WBC counts of birds in the control group were lowest, which could be assumed that these birds have less ability to defend against infection disease when compared to the other groups.…”

“…The presence of tannins in high amounts in the nonruminants feed could be decreased feed intake, which was in agreement with the studies by Biswas and Wakita (2001) and Sarker et al (2010). In addition, several studies by Khalaji et al (2018), Olumide et al (2018), andOloruntola (2018) have found that high doses in the inclusion of phytobiotic additives of Camellia L extract, Ocimum gratissimum, and glyciridia leaf meal, respectively, reduced feed intake and weight gain of broiler chickens. Oloruntola (2018) suggested that phytobiotic inclusion at high doses could be impaired the palatability of feed caused by antinutritional factors was contained in the plant origin.…”

“…The WBC counts of birds in the control group were lowest, which could be assumed that these birds have less ability to defend against infection disease when compared to the other groups. Oloruntola (2018) suggested that the high WBC numbers in animals fed phytobiotic additives could be due to increased white blood cells production against infection disease, reactions to drugs, and the immunomodulatory effect of phytobiotic compounds.…”