Effect of Carica papaya (Pawpaw) and Vernonia amygdalina (Bitter leaf) on Growth Performance and Oocyst Count of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of Carica Papaya and Vernonia Amygdalina leaf meals on performance of broiler chickens. A total of 315 Ross day-old broiler chicks were allocated to seven dietary treatments in triplicates of 15 birds per pen using the completely randomized design (CRD). The dietary treatments comprised of the control diet (T1), 400g of Carica Papaya (T2), 400g of Vernonia Amygdalina (T3), and their ratios at 300:100 (T4), 200:200 (T5) and 100:300 (T6) while cocci guard (COG) was used as positive control (T7). Data were collected on growth performance and oocyst counts and were analyzed using analysis of variance while significant differences among treatment means were compared using Tukey procedure. In the starter phase, the result showed that feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) better in birds fed the control diet and the diet containing 400g pawpaw leaf while final weight, weight gain and FCR were significantly (P<0.05) better in birds fed T3,T4 and T5 at the finisher phase. Oocyst count was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in birds fed diets containing COG and 400g of Vernonia Amygdalina. In conclusion the study observed a synergistic effect on the growth performance of birds fed diets containing a combination of pawpaw and bitter leaf and a reduction in the proliferation of Eimeria oocysts in birds fed 400g/100kg of bitter leaf. In conclusion this study showed that the dietary treatment at 200:200g/kg can be included for improvement in growth performance of broiler chickens and 400g/100kg of bitter leaf for control of coccidiosis.