Effect of feeding broiler chickens with diets containing Alchornea cordifolia leaf meal and enzyme supplementation

Abstract

This study sought to evaluate the effect of Alchornea cordifolia leaf meal (ACLM) inclusion and exogenous enzyme supplementation on broiler chickens. Two hundred and fifty-two (252) arbour acre two weeks-old broiler chicken were selected from a larger flock that had been brooded on deep litter and raised on commercial diet. These birds were balanced for weight and thereafter distributed into 18 pens of 14 birds each. These pens were randomly allotted to six dietary treatment groups in such way that 3 replicates were fed on each experimental diet. For the starter and finisher phase, six experimental diets were formulated and designated as 0-E, 5-E and 10-E for the diets without enzyme and 0+E, 5+E and 10+E for diets with enzyme. Diet 0-E and 0+E serve as positive and negative control respectively. The experiment was carried out using a 2x3 factorial experiment comprising of 2 enzyme levels (0 and 0.35 g/kg) and 3 ACLM inclusion levels (0, 5 and 10%).The final weight (FW) and weight gain (WG) were significantly affected by enzyme supplementation (p 0.05) by the main factors and their interactions except for the liver and proventriculus that were affected by the level of inclusion of ACLM. Red blood cells (RBC) significantly increased (p<0.05) while mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), mean cell volume (MCV) and monocytes significantly (p<0.05) decreased with an increase in the level of ACLM inclusion ranging from 0 to 10%. Enzyme supplementation caused a significant (p<0.05) increase in cholesterol and SGPT levels and a significant (p<0.05) decrease in SGOT. ACLM also significantly (p<0.05) affected the serum parameters considered, except for total protein, albumin, globulin, creatinine, bilirubin and SGPT in a way in which the increase of the ACLM level ranging from 0 to 5% and then to 10 % in the broiler’s diets promoted the declination in the cholesterol, urea, SGOT and glucose levels. Furthermore, the interaction of enzyme levels and ACLM has a significant (p<0.05) effect on cholesterol and SGPT levels. Basing on the data obtained in this study, ACLM is a potential useful feed material for feeding monogastrics. Therefore, it is suggested that 10% ACLM inclusion level could be used in broiler production.