J. W. Ng’ambi

Effect of dietary lysine to crude protein ratio on performance of male Ross 308 broiler chickens

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of dietary lysine to crude protein ratio on performance of male Ross 308 broiler chickens. In each experiment the diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous but with different lysine to crude protein ratios. A complete randomized design was used in both experiments, the starter (1–21 days) and grower (22–42 days) experiments. The three starter diets, based on lysine to crude protein ratios, were L0 (0.055), L1 (0.066) and L2 (0.077), while grower diets were L3(0.047), L4(0.061) and L5(0.074). A quadratic type equation was used to determine ratios for optimum growth rate, feed conversion ratio, breast meat yield and breast meat nitrogen content. Dietary lysine to crude protein ratios of 0.066 and 0.077 supported optimum growth rate and feed conversion ratio, respectively, during the starter period. Dietary lysine to crude protein ratios of 0.073, 0.073, 0.069 and 0.079 supported optimum growth rate, feed conversion and breast meat yield and nitrogen content during the grower phase. Dietary lysine to crude protein ratio had no effect on diet intake and digestibility. The results indicate that at each phase a single dietary lysine to crude protein optimized both growth rate and feed conversion ratio. However, the ratio for optimum breast meat yield was lower than that for optimum growth rate and feed conversion ratio. These findings have implications on ration formulation for broiler chickens.

Effect of Aqueous Moringa Oleifera (Lam) Leaf Extracts on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Hubbard Broiler Chicken

Two hundred and forty day old broiler chicks were used to investigate the effect of aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extracts (AMOLE) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken. The birds were randomly allocated into six treatments with four replicates, and each replicate containing 10 broiler chicks; the CRD was used. The treatments contained AMOLE0+ (positive control with antibiotic treatment), AMOLE0(negative control with ordinary water), AMOLE60 (60 ml/l), AMOLE90 (90 ml/l), AMOLE120 (120 ml/l) and AMOLE150 (150 ml/l) inclusion levels of AMOLE, respectively. Birds on positive control had the highest final body weight and growth rate (2392.00 g and 53.61 g respectively) and the ones on 150 ml/l of AMOLE had the least (2042.00 g and 45.37 g respectively). Results of feed intake showed that birds on positive control had the highest (84.70 g) and the ones on 90 ml/litre of AMOLE had the lowest (73.19 g); while the results of feed conversion ratio indicated that birds on AMOLE90 and AMOLE120 performed better than the positive control treatment. Birds on the AMOLE had similar dressing percentages though that of positive control was highest (94.93 %); while those on AMOLE60 and AMOLE150 had the highest large intestine and lung weights respectively. Aqueous Moringa oleifera leaf extract can be included up to 90 ml/litre in the drinking water of broiler chicken for reduced feed intake (12.83 %) and improved feed conversion efficiency (9.11) thus, AMOLE can be used to replace synthetic antibiotics as growth promoter.