Effect of Aqueous Extract of Moringa Oleifera Leaf (Aemol) on Growth and Serum Biochemistry of Broiler Chicken

Abstract

A six weeks study was conducted to evaluate the effects of varying concentration of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf (AEMOL) on growth, haematology and serum biochemistry of broiler chickens. A total of 240 day-old Hubbard broiler chicks were weighed and allotted to six (6) different treatments in a completely randomized design. The treatments were varying concentrations of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf of 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 %, represented AEMOL0 AEMOL30 AEMOL60 AEMOL90 and AEMOLl2o. respectively. Gentox @ 1.25g/l was used as the control. The treatments were replicated four times with 10 birds per replicate. The results showed that the final body weight, weight gain, total feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and water intake were influenced (p<0.05) across all the treatments. Serum biochemistry results showed that potassium, bilinibin conjugated, ALT, AST, total protein and albumin were influenced (p<0.05). Results from the study showed that most of the parameters measured in birds on aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf compared very well with birds on control treatment which implied that aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf can be used to replace antibiotic as growth promoter. Aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf improved performance by reducing the feed intake and increasing the efficiency of feed utilisation. It is thus, recommended that poultry farmers particularly broiler chickens producers could administer aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera leaf (AEMOL) at a concentration