CARCASS AND ORGAN CHARACTERISTICS OF FINISHER BROILER CHICKENS FED VARYING LEVELS OF CASHEW (Anacardium occidentale) LEAF MEAL

Abstract

The quest for combating the present soaring cost of raising broilers has led to exploration into the use of leaf meal in feeding broilers. Different leaves possess different components and feeding exerts immense influence on the development of carcass and organs of broilers. A 4-week study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the effect of dietary inclusion of cashew leaf Anarcadium occidentale meal (CLM) on the carcass and organ characteristics of finisher broiler chickens. One hundred and twenty Anak-2000 breed of finishing broilers were distributed randomly in a completely randomized design (CRD) of four treatments replicated three times. The experimental diets consisted of CLM levels of 0%, 1.5%, 2.5% and 3.5% in treatment 1 (control), 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The birds were managed under deep litter system and fed ad-libitum for 28 days. After which, the birds were slaughtered for carcass and organ assessment. The results showed no significant (P>0.05) difference in all the carcass and organ parameters examined except in breast muscle and back. In both parameters, there was a significant (P<0.05) drop in treatment 2 but leveled up to be similar (P>0.05) with the control at treatments 3 and It was concluded that inclusion of CLM at 2.5 and 3.5% rates do not affect the carcass and organ characteristicsof finisher broiler chicken and therefore could be adopted in the formulation of finisher broilers diets.