Growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens on administration of <i>Ocimum gratissimum</i> (scent leaf) leaf extract

Abstract

The study assessed the effect of Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. One hundred and ninety-five day-old Arbor acre strain of broiler chickens were randomly divided into five groups. The groups were; control, extract from two levels of fresh (200 and 400 g) and air-dried (40 and 80 g) of ocimum leaves were blended with six litre of water. Data collected on growth performance and carcass evaluation were subjected to One-way Analysis of Variance. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P<0.05) influenced among all the measured growth parameters at starter phase but none of the parameters was significantly (P<0.05) different across the groups. The highest dressing percentage was obtained from the chickens on air-dried Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract while the least values were obtained from those on 400 g of fresh Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract. The same trend was observed in the proportion of breast while proventiculus was biggest among the group on 80 g of air-dried Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract. The study concluded that use of either fresh or air-dried equivalent O. gratissimum leaf extract as alternative to synthetic antibiotics should be promoted to prevent residual effect of antibiotics in the muscle of poultry meat on the health of the consumer.