Volume 3 (Issue 1) 2023 Article 16

ABSTRACT:

A total of ninety-six (96) day-old broiler chicks were used to evaluate the growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens raised under the same environmental condition. The experiment was carried out at the University of Abuja Teaching and Research Farm. The birds were divided into four treatments, three replicate per treatment in a completely randomize design (CRD). The experiment lasted for56days, the birds were fed on two basal diet (starter and finisher throughout the experimental period). The moringa leaf extract was added to their water at 0.00 (T ), 20 (T ), 40 (T ) and 60ml (T ) per liter respectively. 1 2 3 4Data were collected on weekly growth performance and carcass characteristics were recorded. At the end of the experiment, the birds were slaughtered and eviscerated. The prime cuts and organs were weighed to estimate the different parameters. Data collected were analyzed for Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using SPSS. The results showed that there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in all the parameters examined(head, neck, wings, liver, breast, gizzard, drumstick, thigh, heart and shank) except back cut which was significantly (P<0.05) different across the treatments. However, the oral supplementation of moringa leaf extract has no significant (P>0.05) effect on the weekly growth performance of broiler chickens except in week four which was significantly (P>0.05) different. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phenols (15.93 %), flavonoids (10.21 %), terpenloids (5.07 %), steroids (2.83 %), tannins (9.84 %), saponins(4.03 %), alkaloids (2.44 %) and oxalates (0.74 %) respectively. The study concluded that oral supplementation of moringa leaf extract had no deleterious effect on the carcass characteristics and weekly growth performance of broiler chicks.