Effect of Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal as Replacement for Oxytetracycline on Carcass Characteristics of the Diets of Broiler Chickens

Aims: The need to seek for a goodoption to the costly oxytetracycline necessitated the reason for conducting this study. Hence, the study was carried out to assess the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal as a replacement for oxytetracycline on the carcass characteristics of broiler finishers.
Study Design: The design of the study was a completely randomised design.
Place and Duration of Study: The experiment lasted for eight weeks. One hundred and eight one-day-old mixed-sex arbor acres birds were used for the study. The study was carried out at the Poultry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Methodology: Previous studies used different inclusion levels of Moringa oleifera leaf meal, while graded levels, different from previously reported levels of inclusion were used in this study. Four dietary treatments were formulated and each treatment had three replicates with nine birds per replicate. The experimental diets contained 250g of oxytetracycline per 100kg of feed for treatment 1 (T1), 200g, 400g and 600g of Moringa oleifera leaf meal per 100kg of feed for treatments 2 (T2), 3 (T3) and 4 (T4) respectively. Fresh feeds and clean and cool water were served for the birds ad libitum throughout the experimental period. The birds were raised on a deep litter system. At the end of the study, two birds were selected from each replicate, and slaughtered by severing the jugular veins with a sharp knife. Weights of various recognised parts and organs were taken and recorded accordingly. Proximate composition of the experimental diets and faecal samples were determined according to the standard method of (A.O.A.C.). Organoleptic test was carried out on the experimental broiler chickens to determine their quality in terms of taste, colour, and tenderness. Samples were prepared from the breast muscle of each replicate. Ten taste judges were used. After each treatment the judges were served cracker biscuit which was used to neutralize their bud before taking another treatment.
Data obtained were subjected to one way of analysis of variance using SAS statistical package, while significant differences among the means were separated using Duncan Multiple range test.
Results: The result revealed that the adding of Moringa oleifera leaf meal in the diets of the experimental broiler chickens had no significant effect on the carcass qualities of the birds except for breast, drumstick, spleen and heart. Higher mean values of slaughter weights were however recorded for birds fed diets containing Moringa oleifera leaf meal.
Conclusion: It is thus concluded from the results of the study that feeding Moringa oleifera at the included levels in this study had no negative influence on the carcass quality but rather improved the breast and drum stick of broiler finishers. Hence, it is recommended as a good feeding ingredient for broiler birds.