Department of Animal Production and Health Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Ado-Ekiti, P.M.B. 5363, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Fasuyi, A.O., Department of Animal Production and Health Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Ado-Ekiti, P.M.B. 5363, Ekiti State, Nigeria; Dairo, F.A.S., Department of Animal Production and Health Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Ado-Ekiti, P.M.B. 5363, Ekiti State, Nigeria; Adeniji, A.O., Department of Animal Production and Health Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Ado-Ekiti, P.M.B. 5363, Ekiti State, Nigeria
The fresh matured leaves of the Amaranthus cruentus plants were harvested and sun dried until a moisture content of between 12-13% was obtained. The sun dried leaves (Amaranthus cruentus leaf meal, ACLM) were milled and analysed for their proximate composition. Crude protein was 23.0±0.55; crude fat, 5.4±0.01; crude fibre, 8.8%±0.02; ash, 19.3%±0.01 and gross energy, 3.3±0.01 kcal g -1; metabolisable energy, 2.8±0.21 kcal g -1 all on dry matter basis. Methionine and to a lesser extent, lysine, arginine, leucine and aspartate were high. The ACLM was incorporated into five formulated broiler starter diets at varying inclusion levels. The control diet 1 had no ACLM inclusion. All the six diets including control diet 1 were formulated isocaloric and isonitrogenous and fed to the experimental chicks (n = 540). Birds kept on diet 2 (5% ACLM inclusion level) had the best average Weight Gain (WG) of 372.9±29.94 g chick -1 but this was statistically similar to values obtained for birds on diets 1, 3 and 4. The Feed Efficiency (FE) value and the Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) for birds on diet 2 were similar (p>0.05) to values obtained for the reference diet. The Nitrogen Retention (NR) and Apparent Nitrogen Digestibility (AND) values obtained for diet 2 were highest at 1.48±0.24 gN chick -1 day -1 and 63.12%±10.28, respectively. Except for dressed weight and the back of chicken all the organs weights taken were similar (p>0.05). Haematological results were similar (p>0.05). Results generally indicated that ACLM could be a useful dietary protein source for broiler starter chicks at 5% inclusion level. © 2007 Academic Journals Inc.