Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Digestive Enzymes and Caecal Microflora of Guinea Fowl Fed Diet Supplemented with Pedalium Murex Leaf Powder

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine the growth performance, carcass characteristics, digestive enzymes and caecal microflora of guinea fowl fed diet supplemented with Pedalium murex leaf powder. A total of 300 -1 day old mixed sex guinea fowl (Pearl variety) with an average initial body weight of 38.65 ± 0.26 g were randomly distributed into five treatment groups with six replicates (10 birds/ replicate). The experiment lasted for 42 days and a completely randomized design model was adopted.  Basic diet formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of birds as specified by Nutritional Research Council in 1994. Birds in group A (control), was fed basic diet only, group B received basal diet supplemented with Neomycin® at 20 g/kg diet while those in group C, D and E were fed basic diet supplemented with Pedalium murex leaf powder at 20 g, 40 g and 60 g/kg diet respectively. Evaluation of phyto-constituents in Pedalium murex leaf powder showed that it contained; phenolic compound at 102.2 mg/g, flavonoid (63.84 mg/g), steroid (56.69 mg/g), tannin (41.67 mg/g), alkaloids (39.06 mg/g) and saponins (27.45 mg/g). Total weight gain and total feed intake were higher in E (2534.9; 5333.6 g/b), treatment D (2515.2; 5323.7 g/b), treatment C (2545.7; 5300.7 g/b) than in treatment B (2284.3; 5069.1 g/b) and treatment A (2100.3; 4750.4 g/b) in that order. Dressing percentage (72.39 - 84.23 %) and weights of head, neck, back, thigh, breast, drumstick were influenced by the treatments (p˂0.05) except for spleen, liver, gizzard, kidney and heart (p˃0.05). Protease (0.81 - 1.21 ng/mL), amylase (79.92 - 112.6 U/L) and lipase (10.21 - 19.74 U/L) and Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus sp, Salmonella sp and Staphylococcus sp count were significantly affected (p˂0.05). It was concluded that dietary supplementation of Pedalium murex leaf powder up to 60 g/kg had no detrimental effect on the performance of birds.