Reduction of Fat Accumulation in Broiler Chickens by Sauropus Androgynus (Katuk) Leaf Meal Supplementation

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the usefulness of Sauropus. androgynus leaf (SAL) meal on reducing fat accumulation in broiler chickens. Eighty unsexed broiler chickens were allocated to four treatment groups with five replicates of four chickens each. SAL meal supplementation had no effect on body, leg, back, breast, wing, liver and heart weights, carcass protein, moisture and ash contents (p>0.05). Broilers fed diets supplemented with 30 g of SAL meal had lower feed intake with better feed conversion ratio (p<0.05) than did the control chickens. SAL supplementation at all levels significantly reduced fat accumulation in abdomen region, and liver (p<0.01), and in carcass (p<0.05). Higher SAL supplementation resulted in lower fat accumulation in the carcass (r2=0.94; p<0.01), abdomen (r2=0.99; p<0.01) and liver (r2=0.98; p<0.01). The current study showed that a 30 g supplementation of SAL meal to the broiler diet was effective to improve feed conversion ratio without reducing body weight. SAL meal supplementation to the diet reduce fat accumulation in broiler chickens.