Effects of Substituting Some Components of Broilers’ Feed with Crude Aquous Extract of Fresh Leaves of Mucuna Poggei

Abstract

We studied the effects of substitution of Palm kernel cake (PKC), Fishmeal and Soyabean Cake (SBC) with crude extract of Mucuna poggei on the performances of broilers. A total of forty broiler chicks of a day old each were bought and shared into four groups of ten broilers each, allowed to acclimatize for two weeks and then reared for eight weeks. Palm kernel Cake (PKC), Fishmeal and Soyabean Cake (SBC) were given to broilers in groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively with similar quantities of crude extract of Mucuna poggei fresh leaves. The fourth group served as a control and was fed normal feed (Fishmeal and Soyabean Cake). The weekly body weights of the broilers were taken for eight weeks, after which they were slaughtered for the determination of their carcass characteristics, breast meats’ drip loss and cook loss. The results showed significant differences (P<0.05) in the weights of the broilers at the end of the experiment. The “control” had the highest mean body weight of 1233.33±76.38g followed by “group 2” with mean body weight of 1150.00±50.00g while “group 3” had the least mean body weight of 950±40.82g followed by “group 1” with mean body weight of 1000.00±40.82g. There was no significant variation (P<0.05) in the cooking losses among the breast meats of the four groups. However, the results showed significant variation (P<0.05) in the drip losses among the breast meats of the broilers. On the whole, the results revealed that the control which had no crude extract of Mucuna poggei fresh leaves performed better than other groups which were given the extract as feed substitute. The crude extract should therefore be given to broilers as feed supplement not as feed substitute for optimal performance.