Effects of aqueous moringa oleifera leaf extracts on gut morphology and pH of hubbard broiler chickens

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of varying aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extracts (AMOLE) on the gut morphology and pH of Hubbard broiler chickens. Atotal of 240 Hubbard broiler chickens were randomly allocated into six treatments with four replicates in a completely randomized design. The treatments were positive control (AMOLE ), negative + control (AMOLE), AMOLE60 (60mL of the extracts per litre), AMOLE90 (90mL of the extracts per litre), AMOLE120 (120mL of the extracts per litre) and AMOLE150 (150mL of the extracts per litre). Data on gut morphology weight and length and their pH were measured and analysed by one way analysis of variance. The results showed that dressed, crop, large intestine, kidney and lung weights of birds were influenced (P<0.05) by the treatments. Birds in the control treatments (94.67 %, 94.93 %) had the higher (P<0.05) dressing percentage. Birds on the AMOLE60 had the higher (P<0.05) crop and large intestine weights (4.47 and0.23 %, respectively). The birds on the AMOLE90 treatment had the largest kidney weight of 0.33 %. Absolute crop and caecum length were influenced byaqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extracts while the relative caecum length was the only relative organ length that was influenced by aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extracts treatment.The pH of the internal organs showed that the gizzards, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum, kidney and lung were influenced (P<0.05) by the treatments. Birds on positive control treatment had higher pH values in most of the parameters measured. Birds on the AMOLE120 had the lowest (P<0.05) duodenum, jejunum and lung pH. This study revealed AMOLE had influence on the gut morphology and pH of broiler chickens. Therefore, it can be concluded that the substitution of antibiotics as a growth promoter with aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extracts up to 120 ml improved the gut morphology and pH of the intestinal segmentsin broiler chickens. Thus, is recommended that farmers, poultry producers and nutritionists to administer between 60 and 120 mL/litre of AMOLE in the drinking water of broiler chickens to nourish them for good gut morphology and optimum pH of their internal organs.