Performance of improved indigenous grower chicken in Kenya fed enzyme-treated Moringa (M. oleifera) leaf meal-based diets

Abstract

A feeding trial was done to investigate the impact of the inclusion of enzyme-treated Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) on feed conversion ratio, average daily gain, feed intake, and point of the lay of improved indigenous grower chicken. Ninety chickens were randomly allocated to six treatment diets in a completely randomized design with a factorial layout, with each treatment having five chickens per cage, replicated three times. The following were the dietary treatments used: T1-comprised of 0 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, T2-comprised of 0 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme, T3-comprised of 20 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, and T4-comprised of 20 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme, T5-diet comprised of 40 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, T6-diet comprised of 40 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme of the diet, respectively. The statistical analysis system's general linear model (GLM) approach was used in the data analysis. Tukey's test (p<0.05) was used to differentiate significant means. When comparing diets T5 & T6 to the control, the results showed that feed intake differed significantly (p<0.05). The ADG of the MOLM-based diets was significantly (p<0.05) lower in comparison to the control diet. The point of lay of the chicken-fed MOLM-based diets differed significantly (p<0.05) from the control. The study recommended inclusion levels of enzyme-treated MOLM at 10-20% which would improve performance.