Abstract
This study was aimed at evaluating the effects of replacing dietary vitamin-mineral premix (VMP) with graded leaf meal composite (LMC) on the performance of broiler starter chickens. One-day old Arbor Acre chicks (n=320) were allotted to four treatments with eight replicates of ten chicks each in a completely randomized design. Air-dried leaves of Telfaria occidentalis, Celosia argentea, Vernonia amygdalina and Moringa oleifera were milled and constituted in equal proportions to a leaf meal composite (LMC). Four diets were formulated; the control diet was a standard broiler starter diet without LMC but with VMP (T1), other diets contained 1.5 (T2), 3.0 (T3) and 4.5 (T4) % LMC to replace for VMP. Birds were given feed and water ad libitum for 21 days. Data were analyzed using ANOVA at α0.05 and means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test. Feed intake was similar (P>0.05) across the treatment groups. Lowest weight gain (305.61 ± 65.29) was recorded in broilers on control diet (T1) compared with 417.88 ± 50.36 (T2), 417.40 ± 47.27 (T3) and 430.42 ± 63.56(T4). The Feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly different (P < 0.05) and lower of 2.13 ± 0.69 (T4), 2.18 ± 0.35 (T3) and 2.39 ± 0.43 (T2) compared with 3.28 ± 0.69 in the control (T1). LMC successfully replaced VMP in the diet of broiler starter chickens. We can, therefore, conclude that Leaf meal composite can replace vitamin-mineral premix in broiler starter chickens.
Keywords: Air-dried leaves, Feed conversion ratio, Weight gain