Effect of a Fermented Mixture of Papaya Leaf and Seed Meal on Production Traits and Intestinal Ecology of the Indonesian Indigenous Crossbred Chickens

Abstract

The work investigated the impact of a fermented mixture of papaya leaf and seed meal (FERM) on production traits, biochemical indices, intestinal ecology and carcass proportion of the Indonesian indigenous crossbred chickens (ICC). A 300 day-old ICC were assigned to five groups and fed on starter (1–4 weeks) and finisher diets (5–8 weeks) containing corn, soybean (CONT) or diets containing 1% (FERM1), 2.5% (FERM25), 5% (FERM5) or 7.5% (FERM75) of FERM. On week 8, blood was collected from birds prior to slaughter. The increased levels of FERM linearly reduced (P < 0.05) feed conversion and feed cost per kg weight gain, and increased (P < 0.05) income over feed cost of chickens. The relative weight of proventriculus linearly reduced (P < 0.05) with the enhanced contents of dietary FERM. The haemoglobin, erythrocytes and haematocrit values linearly reduced (P < 0.05) as the proportions of FERM enhanced. The mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) levels were greater (P < 0.05) in FERM1 and FERM25 than that in control. The number of heterophils was greater (P < 0.05) in FERM1 than that in FERM25 and FERM5, but was not distinct from CONT and FERM75. The increased levels of FERM linearly increased (P < 0.05) thrombocytes values. Feeding FERM at 2.5% resulted in higher (P < 0.05) high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) ratio than that of control and FERM1. FERM reduced (P < 0.05) serum content of alanine aminotransferase (ALT). FERM75 had higher (P < 0.05) level of creatinine than control, FERM1 and FERM25. In duodenum, the increased levels of FERM linearly (P < 0.05) increased crypt depth (CD). At 7.5%, FERM reduced (P < 0.05) CD and enhanced (P < 0.05) villus height (VH) to CD ratio in jejunum. In ileum, CD linearly elevated (P < 0.05) with the increased FERM, while feeding 2.5% FERM enhanced (P < 0.05) VH and VH to CD ratio. In conclusion, FERM was beneficial in improving economic performance, immune responses, physiological condition and intestinal morphology of ICC.