Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Vitex doniana (Black Plum) Leaf Meal on Growth Performance, Blood Parameters, Carcass Traits, and Relative Organ Weights of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Introduction: Evaluation of using plants, such as Vitex doniana leaf meal as an alternative feed resource in broiler diets decreases the feed costs. The current study examined how air-dried Vitex doniana, Black Plum Leaf Meal (BPLM) could affect broiler chicken growth performance, hematological parameters and serum biochemical indices, carcass yield, and relative organ weights.
 Materials and methods: In a completely randomized design, 54 Arbor Acre broiler chicks aged 28 days old were allocated to two treatments. Each group included 27 chickens with three replicates (nine chickens per replication). The chickens were fed two diets, including basal diet (control) and basal diet with 5% dry matter BPLM for two weeks. 
 Results: The results of the nutrient composition of BPLM revealed 17.16% crude protein, 11.10% crude fiber, 1.70% ether extract, 7.10% ash, 39.0% nitrogen-free extract, 2413 metabolizable energy (kcal), 1.34% calcium, and 0.06% phosphorus. As a rich source of phytic acids, BPLM contains (14.69 mg/100g), tannins (3.23 mg/100 g), and oxalates (20 mg/100 g). The results showed that chickens fed a 5% BPLM-supplemented diet had lower feed intake but improved growth performance compared to the control. There was no significant difference in hematological and serum biochemical indices, carcass traits, cut-up parts, and relative organ weights.
 Conclusion: Incorporating BPLM into a finisher broiler diet decreases feed intake but improves growth performance. In addition, the results showed no effect on hematological and biochemical parameters or relative organ weights in chickens supplemented with BPLM.