Antioxidant and antinutritional potentials of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) leaf meal on the growth performance, economics of production, blood indices, carcass characteristics and histopathology of broiler chickens.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effects of substituting sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) in broiler chicken diets on performance, blood indices, carcass characteristics, and histopathology.
Results Summary
The study found that 7.5% SPLM (T3) improved weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and carcass quality, while higher levels (up to 15%) reduced production costs and serum cholesterol. No tissue damage was observed, but histopathology showed significant effects on the heart and liver at 15% SPLM.
Population
Cobb-500 strain broiler finisher chickens (720-day-old).
Effective Dosage
0% (control), 3.75%, 7.5%, 11.25%, and 15% SPLM in diets.
Duration
Not specified in the abstract.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | weight gain | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #1 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | decrease | FCR | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #2 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | decrease | cost of diets | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #3 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | decrease | cost of body weight gain | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #4 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | WBC | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #5 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | MCH | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #6 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | MCV | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #7 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | decrease | glucose | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #8 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | decrease | total cholesterol | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #9 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | live weight | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #10 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | plucked weight | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #11 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | eviscerated carcass weight | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #12 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | dressed carcass weight | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #13 |
Treatment 3 (7.5% SPLM) | increase | carcass values | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | had superior carcass values | #14 |
15% SPLM diet | no change | heart histopathology | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #15 |
15% SPLM diet | no change | liver histopathology | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects | #16 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | increase | superoxide dismutase enzyme | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | exhibited the highest level | #17 |
sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) supplementation | decrease | glutathione peroxidase enzyme | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | significantly decreased | #18 |
SPLM supplements | increase | performance | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | showed (p < 0.05) | #19 |
Treatment 3 (7.5% SPLM) | increase | weight gain | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | revealed better | #20 |
Treatment 3 (7.5% SPLM) | decrease | FCR | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | revealed better | #21 |
Treatment 3 (7.5% SPLM) | increase | carcass quality | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | revealed better | #22 |
15% SPLM diet | decrease | production cost | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | showed lowers values | #23 |
15% SPLM diet | decrease | serum cholesterol concentration | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | showed lowers values | #24 |
15% SPLM diet | increase | serum superoxide dismutase activities | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | improves | #25 |
15% SPLM diet | increase | glutathione peroxidase activities | Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens | - | improves | #26 |
A feed trial on seven hundred-and twenty-day old Cobb-500 strain broilers finisher chickens on substituting sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM) in broiler chicken diets was conducted. In a completely randomized design, the birds were allocated randomly to five (5) diets with 144 birds per treatment and divided into four replicates of thirty-six birds each. Treatment 1 was designated as the control (0% SPLM) while 3.75% SPLM, 7.5% SPLM, 11.25% SPLM and 15% SPLM served as T2 - T5 respectively. Data were collected on blood indices, carcass characteristics and histopathology which were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the means were separated using Duncan's Multiple Range Test. The proximate analysis and phytochemicals in the leaf revealed significant amounts of constituents analysed. The bird's performance, cost of production, blood indices, carcass, and organs characteristics on experimental diets recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects on the weight gain, FCR, cost of diets, cost of body weight gain, WBC, MCH, MCV, glucose and total cholesterol, live weight, plucked weight, eviscerated carcass weight and dressed carcass weight values. Treatment 3 had superior carcass values in comparison to the other treatments. The histopathology results recorded significant (p < 0.05) effects at 15%SPLM on the heart and liver respectively but no tissue damage was recorded. The superoxide dismutase enzyme exhibited the highest level compared to the other treatments. However, the level of the glutathione peroxidase enzyme significantly decreased in comparison to the other SPLM levels. Also, birds on SPLM supplements showed (p < 0.05) compared to the control. Conclusively, T3 revealed better weight gain, FCR and carcass quality while at higher inclusion levels up to 15% SPLM diet showed lowers values of production cost, serum cholesterol concentration, improves the serum superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities of the chickens.