Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Heamatology Indices of Broiler Chicken Fed Graded Levels of (Mangifera indica) Mango Leaf Meal

Abstract

The use of leaf meals as an alternative to feed ingredient is gaining popularity. This study seeks the effect of feeding diet containing graded levels of (Mangifera indica) mangoes leaf meal on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of three hundred Arbor Acres breed day old broiler chicks were obtained from a commercial hatchery with an average (40±0.12g) body weight, weighed individually and randomly divided into five (5) Dietary Treatment groups (Treatment 1: control; Treatment 2: 2.5% Mango leaf meal MLM; Treatment 3: 5.0% MLM; Treatment 4: 7.5% MLM and Treatment 5: 10.0% MLM) with six replicates per treatment and ten birds per replicate in a completely randomized design. The experiment was conducted for the period of eight weeks. The daily feed consumption, weekly body weight, weight gain and feed conversion ratio were properly recorded. Carcass performance and hematology parameters were measured. Data were analysed using ANOVA at α0.05. There was no significant difference between the control and treatment groups in the initial, final, weight gain, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio. Feed intake was significantly higher (P<0.05) in broiler chicken fed control and 2.5% MLM which least feed intake and daily feed intake in broiler chicken fed both 7.5 and 10% MLM. No significant difference was noticed in the live weight, bled, defeathered weight and dressing percentage. But broiler chicken fed 7.5% MLM had higher dressing percentage. Eviscerated weight was significantly higher in broiler chickens fed 5.0% mango leaf meal with least value in broiler chickens fed 10.0% MLM. Heamoglobin, packed cell volume and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) shows no significant differences. The red blood cell (RBC) was higher in broiler chickens fed control and 5.0% MLM with least RBC in broiler chickens fed 2.5 and 10.0% MLM.  Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was significantly higher in blood from chicken fed 2.5% MLM with lower MCV in chicken fed 5.0%. The same trend was observed for MCH Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin. There was no significant difference in all the white blood differential count including the white blood cell itself except for eosinophil which was higher in chickens fed 5.0% MLM with least value obtained in chicken fed 7.5% MLM. In conclusion 7.5% MLM can be added to broiler chicken feed because it shows a better growth performance with lowest feed conversion ratio and daily feed intake without any advert effect on the health status of the chicken.