EFFECTS OF FEEDING Moringa stenopetala LEAF MEAL ON NUTRIENT INTAKE AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF RHODE ISLAND RED CHICKS UNDER TROPICAL CLIMATE

Abstract

The effects of Moringa stenopetala leaf meal (MSLM) on nutrient intake and weight gain (WG) were evaluated. Forty unsexed Rhode Island Red chicks were randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups. The control diet (T1) (MSLM 0%), the experimental diets contained MSML at a rate of 2% (T2), 4% (T3), and 6% (T4) of the diets (as fed basis) to replace 3%, 5.9% and 8.8% of the crude protein (CP) of the control diet. Daily feed, dry matter and CP intake of the chicks fed MSLM diets were higher (p<0.05) than those fed the control diet. Average weight gain (AWG) of birds fed MSLM diets were higher (p<0.05) than those fed the control diet. Chicks fed T4 showed higher (p<0.05) AWG than those on T2 and T3. Feed efficiency ratio (FER, g gain/g feed intake) and protein efficiency ratio (PER, g gain/g CP intake) were higher for chicks fed MSLM. MSLM elicited no deleterious effects in the birds. The results indicated that MSLM is a potential plant protein supplement and could be included to 6% in the diet of grower chicks to substitute expensive conventional protein sources.