Effects of Feeding Raw Jatropha Tanjorensis Leaf Meal to Broiler Starter Chickens

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of inclusion of raw Jatropha tanjorensis leaf meal in diets of broiler starter chickens. One hundred and fifty day old unsexed arbor acre chicks were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments and each treatment had a total of 30 chicks replicated 3 times with 10 birds per replicate in a completely randomized Design (CRD). Fresh leaves of Jatropha tanjorensis were plucked, washed thoroughly to eliminate dirts and thereafter chopped into tiny fine pieces and dried under shade till it becomes crispy to touch while still maintaining its green colour. The five (5) dietary treatments designated as T1 to T5 contained 0%, 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% raw Jatropha tanjorensis leaf meal (JTLM) (Table 1). The birds were weighed at the commencement of the experiment using sensitive scale and later weekly. Weighed quantities of feed was offered to the birds and left over was weighed to determine their daily feed intake. Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the experiment which lasted for 28 days. At the end of the experiment, carcass quality was carried out according to procedures described by Assam et al., (2024). This involved selection of one bird from each replicate whose live weight was close to the mean weight. Those birds selected were fasted overnight with only water provided. The birds were weighed, slaughtered by severing the jugular vein and scalded in 60^oC hot water for 45 seconds, defeathered and weighed again. All cut parts were weighed and expressed as percentage of dressed weight. Also, visceral organs was weighed immediately using sensitive scale and expressed as percentage of dressed weight. Also, 3mls of blood from each of the birds used for carcass analysis was collected into a sterile bottle containing Ethylene diamine tetraacetatic acid (EDTA) as anticoagulant and subsequently analysed for hematological parameters. Another 3mls of blood was collected into another sterile bottle without EDTA for serum analysis, which was carried out according to standard procedures. All data were analyzed using one-way Analysis of variance and significant means were separated using new Duncan multiple range test using SPSS Version 25.0. The results on the growth performance of broiler starter chickens fed diets containing Jatropha tanjorensis leaf meal (JTLM) showed significant variation in final weight and daily weight gains respectively, while other growth parameters remained statistical the same. The significant increase in final and daily weight gain in birds fed diets with JTLM, especially at 2.5%, demonstrated the potential of Jatropha leaves as a growth promoter. The values for final weights obtained across treatment means were 896.33, 1007.33, 966.33, 988.33 and 931.67g/bird respectively. Higher daily weight gain (48.29g/bird) was observed in birds fed diet containing 2.50% JTLM (T2), while birds fed T1, T3, T4, and TS recorded values of 42.77, 46.22, 47.36, and 44.50g/bird respectively. The results of the haematological indices of broiler starter chickens fed graded levels of Jatropha tanjorensis leaf meal showed significant difference (P<0.05) on packed cell volume, hemoglobin, total white blood cells and the differentials. The inclusion of Jatropha tanjorensis leaf meal in the broiler starter diets caused a significant elevation in packed cell volume (PCV) in the birds, especially at 10.00% JTLM. Despite the non-significant increase in red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin was higher in Jatropha treated group. The total white blood cells (WBC) in the starter chickens were significantly increased at 10.00% JTLM supplementation, implying better immunity for the birds. Jatropha leaf meal did not have significant effect on lymphocytes in this study, there was however, a significant reduction in neutrophils in birds fed 5.00% JTLM and 7.50% JTLM respectively in their diets. There was significantly higher eosinophils and monocytes at 10.00% JTLM inclusion and basophils at 7.50% JTLM, conferring higher immunity on the birds, and also implying that the birds were not allergic to the test ingredient in their diets. Platelet, mean corpuscular cell haemoglobin (MCH), mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were all statistically non-significant, thus implies that the birds were not anemic in the starter phase. Jatropha tanjorensis leaf meal did not have significant effect (P>0.05) on blood urea level in broiler starter chickens in this study. However, there was significant elevation in creatinine level in the starter chickens at 2.50% JTLM inclusion level in their diets, while other treatment levels remain constant with the control group. Although, urea was not significant, the higher serum creatinine in the birds fed T2 (2.50% JTLM) diet, suggested the possibility of a slight damage to the kidney of the young birds. Broiler starter chickens fed T5 (10.00% JTLM) diet recorded the highest significant total protein in the study, while chickens fed 2.50, 5.00, and 7.50% JTLM respectively showed no significant variations in total protein, though values observed were significantly lower than those of starter chickens in the control group. Hence, the broiler chickens in the starter phase did not suffer liver damage, though values observed in birds fed T2 (2.50% JTLM) and T3 (5.00% JTLM) diets were numerically higher than those of TI (0.00% JTLM) and TS5 (10.00% JTLM) respectively. Although, there was no significant difference in high density lipoprotein (HDL) that is the good cholesterol, J. tanjoresis leaf meal had significant effect on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). In conclusion, raw Jatropha leaf meal can be included up to 10% in the diet of broiler starter chickens, to improve weight gain, and blood parameters without any deleterious effects