No abstract

A study was conducted on the Teaching and Research Farm of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nigeria to evaluate the nutritional suitability of four treatments, namely a commercial type broiler diet as compared with the commercial diet supplemented with either fresh centrosema (Centrosema molle), pueraria (Pueraria phaseoloides), or waterleaf (Talinium triangulare) leaves. These diets were fed to 120 day-old chicks (Lohmann Brown) over a 62-day period with treatments arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD). Chemical composition of broiler basal diets differed significantly from the three green foliage supplements. Dry matter (DM) of leaf meals ranged from 97.8 to 227.0 g kg -1 which was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that of broiler basal diets which averaged 900 g kg -1 . Crude protein (CP) of leaf meals, however, ranged from 182.0 to 244.0 g kg -1 which was generally higher than basal diets (130-153 g kg -1 ). Similarly, crude fiber (CF) was highest for centrosema and pueraria leaves (330-342 g kg -1 ) and lowest in basal diets (164-222 g kg -1 ). However, ether extract (EE) and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) were significantly higher in broiler basal diets. Broiler daily and total feed intake over 62 days were similar between treatments and the control, averaging 112 g d -1 , while diets containing waterleaf were slightly (2.5%) lower. Total and daily bodyweight (BW) gains (2110 g and 34 g d -1 ) were also similar between treatments and the control, except that gains where the broiler diet was supplemented with centrosema foliage were 2.9% higher. A higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) and lower protein efficiency ratio (PER) for the diet supplemented with pueraria indicates a higher feed efficiency and better protein efficiency in the commercial control diet. Carcass characteristics with the commercial control diet included greater (P < 0.05) intestinal length and gizzard and spleen weights than with green foliage supplements. However, broiler carcass weight was generally lowest (P < 0.05) in the control group (64.3 g/100 g BW) and highest in the waterleaf group (71.3 g/100 g BW). Small differences in carcass weight among the treatments tested reduces the effectiveness of green feeds for practical and economic intensive broiler production. However, increased effectiveness of green feed supplementation for broiler production might likely be observed where broilers are managed on fenced rangelands planted to selected green feeds or in integrated systems where other livestock (rabbits, sheep, goats, etc.) are jointly reared. These results support the recommendation that leaf meals of green feeds should be incorporated into broiler diets in future studies.

Studies were conducted to compare the effects of dietary PKC and maize offal on the performance of broilers. According to the results of the trial with broiler starter chicks, the birds on the control diet (without PKC or maize offal) gave the highest body weight gain (1236.37g/bird). The result further showed that the birds on maize offal diets performed slightly better (1092.17 and 1005.56g/bird) than those on PKC diets (984.12 and 877.61g/bird). The birds on PKC diets consumed more feed (2446.11 and 2416.69g/bird) than those on maize offal diets (2329.05 and 2106.94g/bird). Feed cost per kg live weight gain was generally higher with PKC diets than with maize offal diets. Average daily water intake was not significantly affected by diets (200 to 300 ml/bird/day). Dry matter retention was higher with maize offal diets (66.45 and 68.52%) than with PKC diets (59.92 and 55.24%). The birds on the control diet gave almost similar crude protein and fat retention with those on maize offal diets (about 74%). The results of the trial with broiler finisher chickens indicated that weight gain per bird slightly decreased when PKC or maize offal replaced maize in the diet. Feed intake increased slightly when 50% of dietary maize was replaced with PKC or maize offal. Feed to gain ratio increased significantly with the inclusion of PKC or maize offal in the diet. Water intake was not significantly affected by diets (400 to 500ml/bird/day). Dietary PKC significantly decreased dry matter retention. Crude protein retention was significantly higher in the maize offal diets (72.41 and 76.99%) as compared to PKC diets (59.91 and 64.25%). Fat retention significantly decreased with the test diets. From the foregoing, therefore, it can be concluded that both ingredients performed significantly well when compared to the control diet. However, maize offal seemed to have performed better than PKC in a number of parameters.