Abstract
Extracts of fresh leaves of Moringa leaf (Moringa oleifera) and Pumpkin (Telferia occidentalis) were administered to broiler chickens in a study that lasted for 8 weeks to evaluate the growth performance, blood serum vitamins and minerals of the birds. A total of 210 day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into various pens which consisted of 7 different groups (treatments) with each one having 30 birds. Treatment 1 birds served as the control and were offered commercial synthetic multi-vitamins (vitalyte) in their drinking water. Treatment 2 birds had 50ml moringa leaf extract (MLE) per liter of water while Treatments 3 was 50ml pumpkin leaf extract (PLE) per liter of water. Treatment 4 was 100ml MLE and 5, 100ml PLE. Treatment 6 birds had a mixture or a combination of MLE and PLE (50ml MLE+50ml PLE), while treatment 7 was also a mixture of MLE and PLE (100ml MLE+100ml PLE). Commercial broiler starter and finisher feeds were offered throughout the duration of the experiment. Data were collected on feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and water intake. On the last day, blood samples were collected for serum vitamins and minerals analysis. The results showed that the extracts significantly (P<0.05) affected all the parameters assessed. Growth parameters per chicken; final live weight gain (3044.65g), daily feed intake (97.06g) and feed conversion ratio (1.84) were best in chickens given 100ml/L MLE while other leaf extracts treated birds compared favorably with the vitalyte chickens. Chickens offered moringa and pumpkin leaves extracts had higher concentrations of the assayed vitamins and minerals; vitamins A, C, D and E; potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron except for sodium. It was therefore concluded that extracts of M. oleifera and pumpkin leaves could serve as organic substitutes to the synthetic commercial multivitamins (vitalyte) in broiler chicken nutrition. Also the residual effects of the use of synthetic vitamins will be reduced.
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