Response of broiler chickens to the dietary inclusion of Chromolaena odorata leaf meal

摘要

A study was carried out to determine the nutrient composition of the leaf meal of the tropical plant Chromolaena odorata, and its value as a feed ingredient and colouring agent in broiler chickens' diets. Chromolaena odorata leaf meal (COLM) contained (on dry matter basis) crude protein 218.0 g kg(-1), crude fibre 141,0 g kg(-1), and metabolizable energy 5.42 MJ kg(-1), tannic acid equivalent 143 g kg(-1). Two hundred and forty 2-week-old broiler chickens were used in a complete randomised design to evaluate the effect of diets containing varying amounts of COLM (0, 25, 50 and 75 g kg(-1)) on growth performance and some physiological parameters. The diets were fed ad libitum for 6 weeks. The COLM addition had an adverse effect on the performance of broiler chickens by reducing feed intake (r=-0.97), body weight gain (r=-0.99), feed conversion efficiency (r=0.96), water consumption (r=-0.74) and carcass yield (r=-0.98). Mortality rates were, however, unaffected by dietary treatments. Body colour intensity increased with increasing levels of COLM. At dietary levels of 0, 25, 50 and 75 g kg-(1), the skin, beak and shank colour scores on Roche colour fan were 0, 4.6, 6.8 and 7.9, respectively, Haematological and blood biochemical indices and spleen, liver, heart, gizzard and intestinal weights were unaffected by the level of inclusion of COLM.