Utilization of chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill)) leaf meal in chick diets

Abstract

Diets containing O, 45, 90 and 135g chaya leaf meal/kg feed were fed ad libitum to 384 day-old cockerels  (Dekalb G-Link strain) which had been randomly alloted to the various dietary treatments and the experiment  was terminated when birds were four weeks old. Birds had free access to water. The concentration of chaya  leaf meal in the diet had no effect on food intak. Overall significant correlations were found between the concentrations of chaya leaf meal in the diet and weight gain (r = -0.97), food con· version ratio (r = 0.96), water consumption (r = -0.92), liver weight (r = 0.79), heart weight (r = 0.82) and gizzard weight (r = 0.93).  The Inclusion of cbaya leaf meal in the diet led to a redution in feed cost.

Key words: Chaya leaf meal, chicks, organ weights.