Growth Performance And Organoleptic Evaluation Of Broiler Fed With Medicinal Leaf Meal Supplementation

Abstract

The effects of medicinal leaf meal on the growth performance and organoleptic qualities of broiler meat were conducted at experimental poultry house of Isabela State University, Cauayan City, Isabela from December 26, 2012 to February 6, 2013. A total of 120 three day-old broilers were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments: T1- Home mixed Ration without medicinal leaf meal, T2- Homemixed Ration with 0. 50% Turmeric Leaf Meal, T3- Home mixed Ration with 0. 50% Herbaka Leaf Meal , T4- Home mixed Ration with 0. Insignificant weekly body weight of the birds was recorded indicating that inclusion of leaf meals did not enhance body weight of the broilers.

The effect of leaf meal influences the gain in weight of the birds over the birds at fifth week of the feeding trial. The fourth-week percentage rate of growth exhibited significant differences in which the birds fed with holy basil and herbaka leaf meals obtained the highest rate of growth. The results arising from the feed cost analysis show that it is highly beneficial to include any of the medicinal leaf meal, which is highly reasonable. The addition of medicinal leaf meal to broiler diets increases income, as shown on the return above in the feed cost analysis. The incorporation of medicinal leaf meal, particularly herbaka leaf meal, could reduce the production cost of broilers as shown in the return above feed cost, thereby making it recommended