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Effect of natural plant; guinea hen weed (<i>Petiveria alliacea</i>) parts on growth and carcass indices of finishing broiler chickens
Abstract
A 56- day feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of feeding guinea hen weed (Petriveria alliacea) leaf and root meals as phytobiotics on growth, carcass, haematological and serum indices of finishing broiler birds using 192 day old chicks. Eight treatment groups were arranged in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangements of 2 plant parts; Petiveria leaf meal (PLM) and Petiveria root meal (PRM) at 4 levels (0mg/kg, 500mg/kg, 1000mg/kg and 1500mg/kg). Each group was replicated three times with 8 birds per replicate. The results of the main and interaction effects revealed that for all growth parameters measured, only mortality was significantly affected (p<0.05) with variation across the dietary treatments. Broiler chickens on control diet showed elevated (p<0.05) mortality percentage when compared with other levels when either PLM or PRM was fed. An improved (p<0.05) dressing, drumstick and breast percentages were observed in broiler chickens on PLM compared to their counterparts on diet containing PRM. Different levels of inclusion of Petiveria plant parts revealed (p<0.05) effects on dressing percentages which were linearly improved for birds on control diet. Broiler chickens fed diet containing 1500 ppm showed highest (p<0.05) drumstick and liver values compare to other treatments. Amidst other varying inclusion levels, abdominal fat was observed to be reduced (p<0.05) in 500ppm fed birds. Engagement of PLM and PRM at different levels showed significant (p<0.05) interaction effects on relative weight of wings, drumstick and thigh. Reduced (p<0.05) wings were obtained in broiler chickens fed 1000 and 1500 ppm in comparison to other dietary treatments with drumstick poorer in broiler chickens fed with diet containing 1000ppm of PRM. The study concluded that feeding of guinea hen weed as phytobiotic additive elicited improved carcass variables in finishing broiler chickens.
Keyword: Guinea hen weed, finishing broiler, growth, carcass
