Abstract:
A six week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the performance index and health status of
broiler chickens fed diets containing varying levels of Avocado-Bamboo composite leaf meal
(CLM). The avocado and bamboo leaves used in the experiment were manually harvested, air-dried
and milled to become avocado and bamboo leaf meal respectively after which they were mixed in
ratio 1:1 to form the CLM used in the feeding trial. The leaf meals and the CLM were then analyzed
for their chemical composition. The CLM was added to the broiler basal diet at 0 g/kg, 4 g/kg, 8
g/kg and 12 g/kg levels. One hundred and sixty day-old Cobb broiler chicks were randomly allotted
to four (4) treatment groups of four (4) replicates with ten (10) birds each. At the end of the feeding
trial, the performance index, carcass characteristics and relative organ weight were measured. Blood
samples were collected and analyzed for haematological, serum biochemical indices and
antioxidant properties. The result showed that the weight gain of birds fed CLM supplemented diets
at levels 4 g/kg (2491.23g) and 8 g/kg (2364.63g) were similar but higher (p < 0.05) than those fed
the control diet (2174.75g) at day 42. The relative weight of the drumstick, the back and the heart
also significantly (P<0.05) increased (107.79g/kg, 165.77g/kg and 5.77g/kg, respectively) in birds
fed diet with 4gCLM/kg feed. The mean cell volume (MCV), Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and
percentage lymph which was higher in birds fed diet with 4gCLM/kg feed (169.6g/dl, 56.53pg/cell
and 84.0%) than the other diets. Aspartate transaminase (AST) was also higher (112.52μ/L) in
birds fed 4gCLM/kg feed than others. It is therefore recommended that the CLM used in the present
study be added up to 8 gCLM/kg feed in broiler chicken diet to improve performance and carcass
traits of the broiler chickens without compromise on the health status.
