Nutritive values evaluation of moringa leaves meal for broiler feed ingredient

Abstract

Nutritive values moringa leaves meal were evaluated and compared with luecaena leaves meal which has similar chemical compositions in order to use moringa leaves meal as broiler chicken feed ingredient. Thirty 3-week old chickens were divided into 3 groups of 10 birds (5 males, 5 females) each. Each chicken was randomly fed with experimental diet that was composed with cassava powder (for endogenous nitrogen analysis), powdered moringa Leaves meal and powdered luecaena Leaves meal. The chickens were raised individually in metabolic cage, where feed and water were provided ad libitum, and both feed intake and feces weight were recorded. Experimental diets and excreta were sampled and subjected to proximate analysis for chemical compositions and gross energy. T-test comparison was used for statistical analysis. Results indicated that nutrients utilization of moringa Leaves meal (utilization percentage of dry matter, organic matter, protein, crude fiber, nitrogen free extract, energy and metabolizable energy) were higher than those of luecaena Leaves meal (P<0.01). However, there was no statistical difference (P>0.05) between moringa Leaves meal and luecaena Leaves meal in utilization percentage of ether extract. Moreover, usable energy of moringa leaves meal was also higher than that of luecaena leaves meal (p<0.01). Therefore, moringa Leaves meal could be one of potential feedstuffs for use in broiler diet production.