GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETS CONTAINING GRADED LEVELS OF Moringa oleifera LEAF MEAL

A study was carried out to investigate the effect of graded levels of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) on growth performance of broiler chickens. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) broiler were randomly assigned to five experimental dietary treatments containing MOLM at 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 %. The diets were designated as T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively with 30 broiler chicks per treatment. The five treatment groups were replicated three times with 10 chicks per replicate in a completely randomized design. Feed and clean water were supplied ad libitum. Both the starter and finisher phases lasted for 56 days. The results revealed that all the parameters evaluated at the starter phase were statistically influenced (p<0.05) by the dietary inclusion of MOLM except mortality (%). Final weight, total weight gain, average daily weight gain, total and daily feed intake were significantly (P<0.05) higher in birds fed MOLM based diets compared to those in the control group. Feed conversion ratio (1.42) and cost per kg gain were significantly (P<0.05) lower in birds fed the control diet compared to other treatments. At finisher phase, the result showed that final weight and total weight gain of birds on MOLM diets were comparable but significantly (P<0.05) higher than those in the control diet T1 (2106.67, 1060g). Higher total and daily feed intake were obtained in birds fed MOLM diets T2, T3 and T5 compared to those in other treatment groups. FCR of birds in T3 (2.50) was significantly (P<0.05) better than those in other treatment groups. No significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in feed cost per kg gain of birds across the treatments. It was therefore concluded that MOLM at 2.50% in the diets of broiler starter chicks and up to 7.50% in finisher diets can improve growth performance of broiler chickens