Effect of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract on growth performance, carcass characteristics of pullet and broiler birds

Yeigba B Japhet Yeigba B Japhet,Tule Godgift Tule Godgift

doi:10.30574/ijsra.2021.3.2.0164

Yeigba B Japhet Yeigba B Japhet, Tule Godgift Tule Godgift

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.30574/ijsra.2021.3.2.0164

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Abstract

A six week experimental trial was conducted to determine “The effect of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract on the growth performance, carcass characteristics of broilers and pullets birds”. The experiment was carried out at the poultry unit of the Teaching and Research Farm of the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island Bayelsa state. Forty (40) day old chicks were used for the experiment comprising of two genotypes, twenty broilers and twenty pullets. Each genotype was divided into treatment and control. The treatment was administered 50ml V. amygdalina leaf extract was diluted into 1 litre of drinking water except the control group. The result showed significant difference (P<0.05) between the control group and the group administered V. amygdalina leaf extract as they were different in carcass, live weight, heart, liver and gizzard weight for broilers. The result also showed that the experimental group was significantly different (P<0.05) from the control group in lungs weight. However, the result showed no significant difference (P>0.05) for both kidney and spleen weights for both groups. The results also show no significant difference (P>0.05) between the control and treatment group of pullets. The study recommends that the use of V. amygdalina up to the level used in this study is suitable for broiler production. It can also be used to enhance performance at the growing phase of pullet’s birds.

Highlights

One of the profitable agro-industries which can effectively tackle the problems of unemployment in rural areas is the poultry sector (1)
Despite the low growth in the poultry sector for the past two decades, a huge gap exists between availability and requirement of poultry products (1)
The group administered with V. amygdalina extract has the highest mean percentage value of 1.798±0.006a compared to that of the control which has 1.623±0.001b

Summary

Introduction

One of the profitable agro-industries which can effectively tackle the problems of unemployment in rural areas is the poultry sector (1). Poultry industry can be adopted under a wide range of climatic conditions and can generally be combined conveniently with other farm enterprises. The evolution of poultry production has resulted in broiler with high efficiency in converting different types of feed into animal protein. Despite the low growth in the poultry sector for the past two decades, a huge gap exists between availability and requirement of poultry products (1). It is a common knowledge that feed constitute the greatest and most costly input in any livestock farm; especially poultry. Any significant reduction in the cost of feeds will significantly reduce the overall cost of production and increase the profit margin of the farm (3)

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Conclusion