ABSTRACT
Present study was conducted in 120 day-old unsexed broiler chicks. They were randomly distributed into 4 dietary treatments (T1, T2, T3 and T4) supplemented with leaf meal mixture (LMM) of Eugenia jambolana and Psidium guajava@ 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 % of diet, respectively of 30 birds per treatment, each having 3 replicates (10 chicks per replicate) in a complete randomized block design (CRD). Significantly (P<0.05) higher mean body weight was observed in T1 as compared to T2, T3 and T4 groups. Carcass yields viz. live weight, de-feathered weight, slaughtered weight and eviscerated weights (in gram and % LWt.) were statistically non significant (P>0.05) with and without LMM supplemented diets. However, weights of spleen and liver were significantly (P<0.000, P<0.026) higher in LMM supplemented groups as compared to un-supplemented control (T1). Dietary supplementation significantly reduced abdominal fat content in T4 compared to T1, whereas, T2 and T3 have an intermediate values between T1 and T4 and increased the net profit, it ranged from ` 30.41 to 34.24 per bird
ABSTRACT
Present study was undertaken in 120 day-old broiler chicks, randomly distributed into 4 dietary treatments (T1, T2, T3 and T4 supplemented with leaf meal mixture (LMM) of Eugenia jambolana and Psidium guajava @ 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 % of diet, respectively) each having 3 replicates (10 chicks/ replicate) in a complete randomized block design (CRD). Experimental chicks were fed basal diets (starter and finisher) supplemented with graded levels of LMM. Feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded at weekly intervals. Two birds from each replicate were slaughtered at the end of feeding trial (42 days). Blood samples were collected and serum separated for biochemical profiles. For histopathological examination, representative tissue samples were collected in 10% neutral buffer formalin and then processed for paraffin embedding employing alcohol as dehydrating agent and xylene as clearing agent. Sections were cut at 4-5µm thickness and stained by routine haematoxylin and eosin method. On histopathological examination of liver, kidney, heart and intestine of T1 and T2 groups showed normal integrity, mild to moderate histopathological changes in T3 group, while, T4 showed drastic histopathological changes. It was concluded that E. jambolana and P. guajava LMM supplementation (2.5% or even 5%) maintained birds performance, minor histopathological changes and producing healthy low cholesterol broiler meat. The LMM incorporation (2.5%) in the diet of broiler chicks may be recommended as socioeconomic, alternative functional feed resource