Effects of dietary inclusion of Moringa oleifera methanolic extract on productive performance, humoral immunity and nutrient digestibility in Japanese quails

Abstract

ABSTRACT A total of 180 unsexed, 1-day-old quail chicks were divided into four treatments (three replicates). The treatment groups were designated as MOLE-0, MOLE-1, MOLE-2 and MOLE-3. In the MOLE-0 group, quails received a basal diet without supplementation. For MOLE-1, quails were provided with 100 mg/L of MOLE in their water, while MOLE-2 received 200 mg/L of water with MOLE supplementation. The fourth treatment, MOLE-3, received a concentration of 300 mg/L of MOLE in their drinking water. The findings revealed that MOLE-3 exhibited significantly higher weight gain and dressing percentage, along with a lower feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05), while the control group (MOLE-0) exhibited the least growth performance. MOLE-3 showed statistically higher antibody titres and immune organ weights, followed by MOLE-2 and MOLE-1. Conversely, the control group (MOLE-0) had a lower antibody titre against ND. Additionally, nutrient digestibility analysis indicated that MOLE-3 had higher digestibility of dry matter and crude protein (P < 0.05), while group MOLE-0 exhibited lower digestibility (P < 0.05). We concluded that supplementing Moringa oleifera leaf extract at a rate of 300 mg/L resulted in improved growth performance, immunity and nutrient digestibility in Japanese quails.