Performance of broilers and layers supplemented with Moringa stenopetala leaf meal under hot humid tropical conditions

Abstract

Context Heat stress poses a major limit to poultry production. Moringa stenopetala leaf meal (MSL) could be a promising feed additive for poultry raised under heat stress, as it is rich in antioxidants. Aims To determine the effect of (MSL) supplementation on the production and quality of broilers under heat-stress conditions. Methods In the broiler performance trial, 156 1-day old Cobb 500 broilers were assigned to four groups, with each containing three replicates of 13 chicks. For the egg production trial, 108 Bovan Brown layers aged 20 weeks were allocated to four groups, with each containing three replicates of nine hens. The four groups of broiler and layer chicken were supplemented with MSL at a level of 0% (control), 1% (MSL1), 1.5% (MSL1.5) and 2% (MSL2). Relative humidity, and minimum and maximum temperatures were 82%, 13°C and 23°C respectively. The effects of MSL supplementation on growth performance, characteristics of digestive organs, carcass traits, egg production and egg quality were analysed with one-way ANOVA. Key results Moringa stenopetala-leaf supplementation at a level up to 2% (MSL2) did not significantly affect feed intake, weight gain or feed conversion ratio of the birds. Supplemented broilers had a significantly longer large intestine (24% for MSL1, 37% for MSL1.5 and 49% for MSL2) and a heavier pancreas (82% for MSL1, 67% for MSL1.5, and 57% for MSL2) than did the control broilers. Hot and cold carcass weights, dressing yield, dressing percentage, breast-meat weight, drumstick and thigh-meat weights, wing-meat weight, back weight and meat pH were not significantly affected by MSL supplementation. Ash content of meat of the MSL2-fed birds was significantly higher than that of the control birds (3.51% vs 2.74% respectively). Egg production, feed conversion ratio and interior and exterior egg-quality parameters were not significantly affected by MSL supplementation. Intensity of yolk colour was significantly and linearly enhanced due to MSL supplementation (by ~5–8 times compared with the control). Conclusions Supplementation with MSL at a level up to 2% improved yolk colour of Bovan Brown layer eggs, with no effect on meat and egg production. Implications Yolk colour of eggs of layers raised under heat stress can be improved by MSL supplementation at 1%, with there being a minimum increase in the diet cost.

Egg enrichment with n‐3 fatty acids in farmed hens in sub‐optimum temperature: A cold‐temperament additive mix alleviates adverse effects of stress on performance and health

“…stamineus appeared to improve SOD compared to control in the same temperature (Cai et al, 2020). Unlike our results, decreasing GPx with feeding lemon (Rafiee et al, 2016) and unchanging SOD and GPx activities with feeding M. stenopetala in HT (Tamiru et al, 2020) were reported.…”

“…In another study, total protein and albumin were not affected by feeding O. stamineus in HT, while this herb declined TG and cholesterol compared to control in the same temperature (Cai et al, 2020). Similarly, total cholesterol, TG, LDL and HDL levels were not affected by feeding M. stenopetala in HT (Tamiru et al, 2020). Herbal medicine is well known to improve total proteins and albumin in poultry, which were reviewed elsewhere (Hashemi & Davoodi, 2012; Pliego et al, 2020).…”

“…Numerous feed additives such as vitamin E and C (Attia, Al‐Harthi, El‐Shafey, et al, 2016; Attia, Al‐Harthi, & Hassan, 2018; Büyükkılıç Beyzi et al, 2020), phytogenic (Al‐Sagan et al, 2020), probiotics (Sugiharto et al, 2017); minerals such as chromium (Orhan et al, 2019; Sahin et al, 2017) and selenium (Abd El‐Hack et al, 2017); amino acids such as threonine (Azzam et al, 2019), and lipids (Kim et al, 2019; Kop‐Bozbay et al, 2020) have been tested in hens to mitigate the harmful HT effects. Further, a long list of herbal medicine has been investigated in this topic, such as Orthosiphon aristatus (Cai et al, 2020), drumstick tree ( Moringa oleifera ) (Abou‐Elkhair et al, 2020), turmeric ( Curcuma longa ) (Attia, Al‐Harthi, & Hassan, 2017; Liu et al, 2020; Nawab et al, 2020), ginger ( Zingiber officinale ) (Ibtisham et al, 2019), cabbage‐tree ( Moringa stenopetala ) (Tamiru et al, 2020) and cumin seed ( Cuminum cyminum ) (Saleh et al, 2019). Our previous studies highlighted the positive effects of dietary garlic ( Allium sativum ) (Esmaeili et al, 2017a, 2017b), barberry ( Berberis vulgaris ) (Ramezanzadeh, Abedian Kenari, Esmaeili, & Rombenso, 2020; Ramezanzadeh, Abedian Kenari, & Esmaeili, 2021), dill ( Anethum graveolens ) (Zeilab Sendijani et al, 2020) and a herbal mixture (Hosseini et al, 2021) on improving animal growth and health.…”

Evaluation of Fenugreek (<em>Trigonella foenum graecum</em>) Seed Powder and <em>Moringa oleifera</em> Leaf Meal on Production Performance and Egg Quality of Laying Hens

“…Before starting the actual experiment, the birds were an adaptation to their experimental diets for two weeks. The levels of moringa oleifera leaf meal and fenugreek seed powder supplemented for experimental layers were based on the suggestion by Tamiru et al [29] and El-Shafei et al [30], respectively.…”

Performance of Isa-Brown Layers and the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer of the Mineral Content of Eggs Produced by Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder Supplementation

“…Hence, the feed intake, live weight and egg production are affected by the quality of feed. Performance of layers in terms of feed intake, weight gain, FCR, egg production and egg qualities were significantly improved with adequate feeding (Tamiru et al, 2020). Conversely, weight gain, FCR, eRBCA-2021-1552 eRBCA-2021-1552 yolk colour and shell thickness were negatively affected by the introduction of sesame hull which reduced the quality of the layer feed (Ferran et al, 2000).…”