ABSTRACT:

The use of phytogenic feed additives is constantly gaining interest globally due to risk pose by the indiscriminate use of antibiotics especially among livestock farmers in developing countries, leading to cases of antimicrobial resistance and residue of toxic substances in animal products (milk, egg and meat) which has also led to the increasing cases of diseases and deaths. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of Prosopis africana oil as feed additive on the carcass and sensory charateristics of broiler chicken. Two hundred- and twenty-five-day-old (arbo acre) broiler chicks were sourced from reputable hatchery in Ibadan. The birds were randomly divided into five dietary treatments each with three replications of 15 chicks in a completely randomized design. Standard management procedures were strictly followed while feed and clean tap water were offered ad libitum throughout the period of the experiment which will lasted for 8 weeks. Dietary treatments were as follows: Treatment 1 (T1): Basal diet with no Prosopis africana oil; T2: Basal diet + 0.5% Prosopis oil while T3, T4, and T5 with 0.6%, 0.7% and 0.8% Prosopis africana oil respectively. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannins (2.88%), flavonoids (5.07%), terpenoids (3.96%), alkaloids (1.60%), phenols (10.18%), steroids (2.57%) and oxalates (0.02%). All the carcass parameters evaluated (live weight, dressed weight, eviscerated weight, dressing, head, breast, thigh, drumsticks, wings, back, neck, spleen, heart, livers, gizzard and kidney) were significant (P˂0.05) and positively influenced by the treatments. It was concluded that the dietary supplementation of Prosopis africana oil up to 0.8%g in broiler chickens could increase carcass quality as well as reduction of free radicals.