Original scientific paper
EFFECT OF FEEDING MEXICAN SUNFLOWER LEAF (Tithonia diversifolia, Hemsley, A. Gray) ON PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKS
A.H. Ekeocha
; Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Abstract
One hundred and fifty (150) white one-day old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five experimental diets of thirty birds each. The first diet was the standard (basal) starter and finisher diet and served as control. The other rations contained 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10.0% Mexican sunflower leaf (MSL) as graded replacement (w/w) for maize and soya meal. The study investigated the performance and haematological responses of the birds to the diets. Mexican sunflower leaf meal supplementation did not improve performance characteristics over basal diets and significantly (p<0.05) retarded feed intake, growth rate, feed conversion except for its inclusion at 5.0%, while haematological parameters were significantly (p<0.05) enhanced except for eosinophil and lymphocytes concentration. Mexican sunflower leaf is therefore a promising feed ingredient that could be cheaply incorporated into poultry rations at 5.0% level when conventional feeds are inadequate.
Keywords
lesser known sunflower; feed intake; weight gain; broiler chicks
Hrčak ID:
80180
URI
Publication date:
10.4.2012.
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