The effect of shade-dried moringa oleifera leaf meal at different inclusion levels on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of quail broilers

Abstract

The use of readily available feed resources in the rearing of quail has the potential of improving animal protein needs in resource-poor communities in Ghana. The leaf meal of Moringa oleifera is one such feed resource. However, its utility has not been assessed by quail farmers. This study was, therefore, conducted to determine the effect of M. oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Japanese quails. Freshly harvested M.oleifera leaves were shadedried for one week, milled using a hammer mill, sieved into meal and used in the formulation of the feed for the birds. A total of 120 unsexed Japanese quails were randomly allotted to four treatments with three replications each. There were ten (10) birds per replicate giving a total of 30 birds in each treatment. Completely Randomized Design was used for the experiment. Four levels of MOLM consisting 0 %, 5 %, 10 % and 15 % treatments (T1, T2, T3 and T4) were fed during the research period which lasted for 12 weeks. All the experimental diets were formulated to meet the nutrient requirements of breeder chicks according to the NRC (1994). The experimental diets were formulated at Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Animal Science Education. The MOLM was used to mix with a commercial started and finisher diet at a rate of 0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg (CON, MOLM5, MOLM10 and MOLM15, respectively) producing four dietary treatments. During the feeding trial feed intake and body weight gain were measured and used to calculate feed conversion ratio (FCR). The results showed that dietary treatments of MOLM had a statically significant effect (P < 0.05) on overall body weight gain, feed intake, FCR and dressed weight of birds. However, there were no statically significant difference (P > 0.05) between the varied levels of MOLM diets on live weight, bledweight, defeathered weight, head weight, Leg pair, intestine weight and giblet weights. The study concluded that birds' development efficiency and carcass characteristics appeared to be unaffected, Japanese quail nutrition may include Moringa oleifera leaf meal to enhance their growth performance and their carcass characteristics.