Effect of Moringa oleifera leaf powder feeding on the growth performance and meat quality of kadaknath chicken Harshini A.**,*, Tomar S.1, Yadav A. S.2,***, Awasthi M. G.3 1Department of Avian Genetics and Breeding, Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar, India - 243122 2Department of Post Harvest Technology, Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar, India - 243122 3Department of Livestock Products Technology, College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India - 281001 **Present address: Department of Livestock Farm Complex, Veterinary College, Hassan, India - 573202
***Present address: Director, National Institute of Animal Health, Baghpat, India - 270609
*Correspondence: harshinialapati31042@gmail.com
Online published on 22 March, 2023. Abstract An experiment was conducted to study the growth parameters, nutrient retention, carcass attributes, meat quality and feed cost economics of Kadaknath chicken breed under supplementary feeding of Moringa oleifera dried leaf powder, an unconventional feed ingredient. 160-day old chicks were randomly assigned to four treatment groups T1, T2, T3 and T4 of 40 birds each. The levels of M.oleifera leaf powder dietary inclusion to these groups were 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% to the basal diet. Growth performance was studied for 17 weeks, by recording weekly feed intake and feed efficiency at three weeks interval. There was a significant reduction (p<0.05) in the feed intake of supplemented groups, however feed efficiency was improved (P<0.05). The final body weight of T2 group was statistically similar to the T1, whereas there was a significant reduction (P<0.01) in T3 and T4 groups. Nutrient balance study was performed in adult chicken (16-weeks-old), to validate the results of growth trial. There was no significant (P>0.05) variation in the apparent digestibility of nutrients and the reduction in feed intake of supplemented groups did not affect their retention of nutrients. Carcass parameters, sensory, physical and nutritive quality of meat was estimated by sacrificing the birds in each group that have attained market weight of the breed. There was no significant difference in the yield and quality of meat in terms of dressing percentage (71-72%), pH (5.96-6.18), water holding capacity (89-90%), except for the Thiobarbituric acid reactive species values of frozen meat. The oxidative stability of meat from supplemented groups was significantly increased (P<0.05) with the increase in dietary inclusion level. Inclusion of leaf powder to basal diets also reduced the feed cost. It is concluded that the maximum possible inclusion level of M.oleifera leaf powder starter (5%) and grower phase (10%) in the diet of slow growing breeds of chicken. Top Keywords Feed cost, Intensive rearing, Moringa oleifera, Nutrient. Top |