Growth performance and meat quality of broiler chickens fed diet containing “Sabara” (Guiera senegalenses) leaf meal

Abstract

The study evaluated dietary inclusion (0, 7, 14, and 21%) levels of Guiera senegalensis leaf meals (GSL) on growth performance and meat quality of broiler chickens. A total of 240 broiler chicks (Chikun) were divided into four treatments with three replicates each (20 chicks per replicate) in a completely randomized design (CRD). The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. The results showed that feed intake, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and mortality rates were significantly (P˂ 0.05) different among the four treatment groups. Other growth traits such as final weight, weight gain and average daily weight did not show significant differences across the treatments investigated. The compositional parameters of the fresh meat samples showed that per cent lipid, protein, ash and carbohydrate contents were significantly (P˂0.05) different across the treatments. There were no significant differences with respect to per cent moisture and crude fibre among the treatments. However, chemical composition of meat floss (dambun nama) from broiler chickens fed GSL revealed that parameters such as moisture, lipid, crude fibre and carbohydrate differed (P ˂ 0.05) significantly among the treatments. There were no significant differences in per cent crude protein and ash contents among the treatments. Sensory attributes of dambun nama from broiler chickens fed GSL showed that all the attributes (except juiciness) were not significantly similar. This study concludes that the incorporation of GSL in the diet of broiler chickens at 0, 7, 14 and 21% had no deleterious effects on carcass and organ characteristics, chemical composition of both fresh meat and processed meat floss. The meat floss was well - cherished by the sensory panelists and rated the product high for quality. However, GSL inclusions should be re-adjusted in further studies using broiler chickens for growth and carcass re-evaluation for meat quality.