Influence of <I>Moringa oleifera l.</I> and <I>Adansonia digitata l.</I> leaf meals on performance and egg quality characteristics of Amok layers

Abstract

twelve-week trial was conducted to assess the influence of dietary inclusion of Moringa oleifera and Adansonia digitata (Baobab) leaf meals on laying performance and egg quality characteristics of Amok layers. A total of 84, point of lay birds were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments namely; T1, control diet without leaf meal; T2, diet containing 2.5% Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal (MOLM), T3, diet containing 2.5% Baobab Leaf Meal (BLM) and T4, diet containing 2.5% MOLM+2.5% BLM. Each treatment had seven replicates with three birds per replicate. Feed intake in T1 and T3 birds did not differ (p>0.05) but was lower (p<0.05) than those of T2 and T4 birds. Diet had no effect (p>0.05) on feed conversion ratio in layers. Body weight gain was higher (p<0.05) in the T1 birds than in the T4 birds. Hen day production was higher (p<0.05) in T3 birds compared with those fed other diets. The T1 birds had lower (p<0.05) hen day production than that of birds fed other diets. Proximate composition of egg did not differ (p>0.05) between the treatments. Dietary inclusion of MOLM, and BLM influenced (p<0.05) the external and internal egg quality traits except egg length and Haugh unit. These results suggest that the inclusion of 2.5% MOLM, 2.5% BLM, and a combination of 2.5% MOLM and 2.5% BLM could be utilized in the diet of layers, without deleterious effects on laying performance and egg quality traits. In this respect, the inclusion of 2.5% BLM seemed to be the best.