Growth Performance and Haematological Characteristics of Broiler Finisher Birds Fed Three Moringa Plant Parts as Additive From 5-8 Weeks

Abstract

Background and Objective: The addition of different plant parts as a supplement in the diets of poultry has been reported to have some effects on animal physiology and biochemical functions. This study evaluated the growth performance and haematological profiles of broiler finisher chickens fed leaf meal, raw and toasted seed meals of Moringa from 5-8 weeks. Materials and Methods: A total of 96 dayold chicks were allotted to 4 treatment groups of 8 birds each in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. The trial lasted for 28 days for the finisher phase. Results: The result showed significant differences (p<0.05) in average final weight gain, average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio. There was a highly significant reduction in serum cholesterol, HDLP and LDLP among the birds fed Moringa leaf meal. It was concluded by the study that different Moringa plant parts exert different effects on the animal probably due to the contents of different biochemical compounds. The leaf meal was notably effective in the reduction of serum lipids. The birds fed the toasted Moringa seeds showed significantly higher weight gains than all other treatments. Conclusion: Therefore it can be concluded that Moringa plant-based extracts could effectively replace the use of commercial additives, hence its use is recommended to reduce production costs and increase the profitability of the poultry production business.