Abstract:
Three separate studies were conducted to investigate the feeding value of Moringa oleifera leaf meal
(MOLM) and cassava root chips (CRC) in broiler and layer rations. The first study evaluated the
performance of broilers fed different levels of MOLM to replace soybean meal (SBM) and the second
study using different levels of CRC to replace corn grain (CG). Treatments in the first study were
inclusion of MOLM at 0 (T1), 5 (T2), 10 (T3), 15 (T4), and 20% (T5); and in the second study were
inclusion of CRC at 0 (T1), 25 (T2), 50 (T3), 75 (T4), and 100% (T5). The third study assessed the
performance of Dominant-CZ layers fed diets containing MOLM and CRC. Treatments were rations
containing CRC and MOLM, i.e., T1 (0% CRC and 0% MOLM), T2 (50% CRC and 0% MOLM), T3
(0% CRC and 5% MOLM) and T4 (50% CRC and 5% MOLM). The CRC was used to substitute
100% CG and 5%MOLM inclusion in the total ration to substitute SBM, and the levels were set based
on the results the first two broiler studies with the maximum level of CRC and MOLM that substituted
CG and SBM without negative effect on performance of broilers. In the first two studies, 300 unsexed
day old Hubbard Classic broiler chicks for each study were used. In the third study, 120 layers of 22
weeks of age and 12 cocks were used. The experimental animals in all studies were randomly divided
into the treatments and three replications per treatment. The broilers and layer experiments lasted 56
days and 12 weeks, respectively. Diets for each study were formulated to be isocaloric and
isonitrogenous. In the broiler studies, four birds 2 from each sex were randomly taken from each
replication and slaughtered for carcass evaluation at the end of each study.
The metabolizable energy content of CRC and CG were 3852 and 3753 kcal/kg DM, respectively. The
crude protein content of MOLM was 28%. In the broiler study with MOLM, the daily DM intake
during the entire experimental period ranged 54 to 75 g/bird and were greater (P < 0.05) for T1 than T3
and T5. The daily DM intake for birds fed different levels of CRC ranged 61 to 67 g/bird, and dietary
CRC substitution to corn appeared to have little effect on total DM intake. The DM intake of laying
hens was not affected (P > 0.05) by dietary inclusion of CRC and/or MOLM. In the broilers study with
MOLM, daily body weight (BW) gain (ADG) for the entire experimental period were 29, 25, 22, 22
and 17 g for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively, and values were greater for T1 as compared to T3, T4
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and T5. Conversely, ADG of broilers ranged 23 to 27 g/day and was not affected by CRC substitution
to CG. Replacement of MOLM for SBM lowered (P < 0.05) yield of most carcass parameters such as
dressed weight, eviscerated weight, breast weight, thigh weight, drumstick weight and giblet weight.
Sex differences were significant only in drumstick weight and drumstick and thigh percentages with
greater values for males than females. Replacement of CRC for CG at higher levels (75 and 100%)
lowered (P < 0.05) yield of most carcass parameters such as dressed weight, eviscerated weight, breast
weight, thigh weight, drumstick weight and giblet weight. The same carcass parameters were greater
(P < 0.05) for males than female birds. In the study with layers, hen-day egg production and egg mass
were not affected (P > 0.05) by dietary inclusion of CRC and/or MOLM. Egg weight was 48, 47, 49
and 51 gram for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively, and was higher for T4 (P < 0.05) than T1 and T2. Yolk
color was higher (P < 0.05) in treatments containing MOLM. Fertility of eggs was similar (P > 0.05)
among treatments, and hatchability of fertile eggs was lower (P < 0.05) for T1, but comparable among
other treatments. In conclusion, MOLM can be substituted to SBM in broilers diet up to a level of 5%
inclusion in the total ration without negative effect on biological performance. Based on DM intake
and growth performance of broilers obtained in this study, CRC could completely replace CG in
broiler diets as energy feed ingredient. However, looking on the results of yields of major carcass
parameters, CRC should substitute CG not more than 50%. In layers, CRC at 50% of the diet or
replacing CG 100% and/or MOLM at 5% of the diet replacing SBM can impart similar or better
positive effect on egg production, egg quality parameters, eggs fertility and hatchability. Therefore,
both MOLM and CRC can successfully be used as dietary ingredients of broilers and layers