Effects of the use of Moringa oleífera in the feeding of broilers on carcass and visceral yields

Abstract

This research was carried out in the bird´s experimental area of the Santa Inés Farm (Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Universidad Técnica de Machala), El Oro Province, Ecuador. The objective was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of Moringa oleifera leaf meal in the feed of Cobb 500 chickens on carcass and visceral parameters. To guarantee the welfare of the chickens, all the suggestions for open-shed systems was followed, as well as a basic vaccination schedule applied in the area. The variables evaluated were: antemortem weight; blood, feathers, viscera, thighs, counter-thighs, breast, shoulder, wings, neck, legs, head, heart, liver, gizzard, spleen, intestines and gizzard fat expressed as a percentage, and finally abdominal fat was expressed in millimeters. A Completely Randomized Design was applied, consisting of 5 treatments (T) with 4 experimental units, containing 10 chickens each one. The T1 or control without M. oleifera meal, while T2, T3, T4 and T5 incorporated Moringa leaf meal at a rate of 1, 2, 3 and 4%, respectively. An ANOVA analysis was used prior to observing the assumptions of normality and homogeneity, and to discriminate among the means, the Bonferroni multiple comparison procedure was applied, with a 95% confidence level. All calculations were obtained through the statistical program Statgraphics Centurión XV.I. The results showed that there is no negative effect on the variables evaluated, which allows to assume that up to 4% Moringa meal can be used in feed for chickens without any restrictions since it does not affect the weight of the carcass.