Effect of Moringa Leaf (Moringa oleifera) Meal as Natural Feed Additives on the Growth Performance and Meat Quality of Broiler Chicken: An Investigation

Abstract

Moringa oleifera (Moringa oleifera) belongs to the single genus monogeneric family Moringaceae and is well distributed in Africa and Asia. Apart from being a good source of vitamins and amino acids, it has medicinal uses. A study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary moringa leaf meal (MLM) as a natural alternative to antibiotics on the growth performance, meat quality, and carcass yield of broiler chicken. This study was conducted at the broiler experimental shed, Poultry Research Center of Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute Savar, Dhaka.  A total of 270-day-old broiler chicks were randomly weighed and assigned to six dietary treatments having 45 birds in each. Each dietary treatment had three replicates of 15 birds and was reared in floor pens. Chicks were distributed in 4 different inclusion levels of MLM in diets; 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% with 2 control diets negative and positive. The birds were fed the experimental diets and water was provided without restriction throughout the experimental period. The results showed a significant (P<0.05) effect on final body weight and weight gain in dietary supplementation of 1.5% MLM as compared to that of the control group. Better feed conversion (1.53) was observed in the 1.5% MLM group. Different levels of MLM exhibit significant influence on the meat yield performance of broilers. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) observed among the average live weight, thigh meat, wing meat, drumstick meat, gizzard, and abdominal fat of broilers. Breast meat, heart, liver, large intestine, and dressing percentages showed significant differences. Lower mortality was found on a diet supplemented with MLM. Adding moringa leaf meal did not affect (\(\ge\)0.05) internal organ development but improved dressing parameters and dressing yield.  It can be concluded that 1.5% MLM in broiler diets might be used as a natural feed additive for enhancing growth performance, organ development, meat yield, and serum cholesterol of broilers as well as an alternative feed ingredient to oxytetracycline.