ABSTRACT

A 49-day feeding trial involving 150 one week old Marshall broilers' chicks was' conducted to evaluate the performance, carcass, haematological, serum biochemical profile and economic characteristics of broiler fed Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal (VALM) at the starter and finisher phases. After one week of brooding, the birds were assigned to five dietary treatment groups of 30 birds per treatment and IO birds per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design. The birds were fed diets containing varying levels of VALM at 0.00, 2.50. 5.00, 7.50 and 10.00% designated as diet D,, D;, D;, D, and D; respectively, for starter phase while diets with 0.00, 3.00, 6.00, 9.00 and 12.00% of VALM were designated as diet D,, D,, D;, D, and D; respectively for the finisher phase. The birds were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and weekly thereafter. Experimental diets and water were offered ad libitum. At 8 weeks of age, two birds per replicate were weighed and slaughtered for carcass evaluation while blood was collected from the jugular vein of two birds per replicate for haematology and serum biochemical test. Growth performance and cost of production were assessed for starter broiler chicks while growth performance, economics of production, carcass, organ characteristics, haematology and serum biochemical values were assessed for the finisher birds at the end of the experiment. The result of the experiment showed that the final live weights of birds fed D, (777.56g), D» (730.00g) and D, (704.07g) were similar (P>0.05) but significantly higher than the final live weight of birds fed D, (506.67g). The ADG of birds fed D, (29.77g), D, (37.62g) and D; (26.39g) were similar but significantly {P<0.05) higher than that of birds fed D4 (21.08g) and D; (16.98g). The FCR for birds fed diets D,, D;, D; and D, were similar (P>0.05) but significantly (P<0.05) lower than the FCR of birds fed diet Ds for the finisher phase. At I 0% of V ALM, 0% mortality was achieved at the starter phase while for the finisher level, 0% mortality was achieved at 12% inclusion of V ALM. Birds fed D, and 02 had significantly higher (P<0.05) live weight, eviscerated weight and dressing percentage than birds fed Dy, D, and D%. Significant (P<0.05) differences were observes for all cut part as expressed in percentage live weight except Breast cut and Neck only were statistically similar (P>0.05). Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in organs as expressed in live weight except Intestine. Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed among treatment means for all the haematological parameters measured except haemoglobin (Hb), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) value which were similar (P>0.05) to one another. The cholesterol values for D,, D,, D, and D4 were 104.00, 93.66, 90.99, 88.SOmg/dl were similar (P>0.05) but significantly (P<0.05) higher than the value for D, (71.56mg/dl). The results of this feeding trial suggest that VALM could be incorporated in broiler diet up to 5.00% for broiler starter chickens and 3.00% for broiler finisher chickens