Gliricidia Leaf Meal in Broiler Chickens Diet: Effects on Performance, Carcass, and Haemato-biochemical Parameters

Aims: This study seeks to access the influence of Gliricidia leaf meal on broiler chickens’ growth performance, carcass traits, and haemato-biochemical parameters.

Study Design: Completely randomised design.

Place and Duration of Study: The 56-day feeding trial was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of Agricultural Technology Department, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.

Methodology: Fresh Gliricidia sepium leaves were harvested, shade dried and milled to produce leaf meal. Three diets were formulated to contain Gliricidia sepium leaf meal (GLM) at 0 (control), 5 and 10% level. A total number of 144 day-old chicks of arbor acres were assigned to 3 dietary treatments of 3 replicates of 16 chicks per replicate in a completely randomised design experiment.

Results: The total weight gain and total feed intake was lower (P<0.05) in broiler chicken fed 10% GLM inclusive diet (1890.48 g/b and 5188.90 g/b) compare to the total weight gain and total feed intake of those fed the control (2188.04 g/b and 5754.14 g/b) and 5% GLM inclusive diet (2154.31 g/b and 5579.04 g/b). The slaughter weight, dressed weight and dressed percentage of birds fed 10% GLM inclusive diet were lower (P<0.05) than those fed the control and 5% GLM inclusive diets. The liver, kidney and gizzard relative weights were higher (P<0.05) in the birds fed 10% GLM inclusive diet compared to those fed rest diets. The white blood cell count of birds fed control diet and 5% GLM inclusive diet were similar (P>0.05) but significantly (P<0.05) lower than white blood cell counts of birds fed 10% GLM inclusive diet. The cholesterol levels of birds fed GLM inclusive diets (5 and 10%) were lower (P<0.05) compare to those birds fed the control diet.

Conclusion: The dietary gliricidia leaf meal at 5% inclusion level supports normal body weight gain, feed intake, carcass traits and normal health status of the broiler chickens.