Influence of Dietary Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal on Haematological Parameters, Serum Biochemical Indices and Weight of Internal Organs of Chickens

Abstract

| A 90-day feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of dietary Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) supplementation on blood indices and weight of internal organs of three indigenous chicken species. Moringa leaves were harvested by hand, air-dried and milled into M. oleifera leaf meal (MOLM). The leaf was chemically analysed and used to dilute a commercial broiler basal diet at 0 (MOLM0), 25 (MOLM25), 50 (MOLM50), and 100 (MOLM100) g/kg DM, producing four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic dietary treatments. Two hundred and sixteen (216) Potchefstroom Koekoek (PK), Ovambo (OV) and Black Australorp (BA) male chickens were raised on a commercial starter mash for 3 weeks in a 3 (chicken strains) x 4 (diets) factorial treatment arrangement in a complete randomised design (CRD) replicated 3 times. At 13 weeks of age, blood samples were taken from 6 chickens per treatment and used for biochemical and haematological analysis. Incremental levels of MOLM exhibited higher WBC than control diet (MOLM0). Higher inclusion levels of MOLM resulted in longer small intestines and heavier gizzards in all chicken strains. Low levels of ALT and ALKP were observed when chickens were fed incremental levels of MOLM. Inclusion of MOLM at levels up to 100g/kg had no adverse effects on health status of the chicken strains.