ABSTRACT

 An experiment was conducted using 120 day-old Marshal Broiler chicks to evaluate the chemical composition and cost ofbroiler diets with Moringa oleifera leafmeal. There are 30 broilers in each treatment and 10 broilers in each replicate. Four experimental diets was formulated, with Tl, T2, T3 and T4 as control, 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5% levels of inclusion of Moringa oleifera leaf meal respectively. Also, proximate analysis ofthe formulated diets and the test-ingredient was carried out. The birds were assigned to these diets, feed and water was given ad libitum throughout the duration of the experiment which lasted for 56 days. The experimental design was Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The economics of production was calculated using all the economic parameters generated during the course of the experiment. The result shows that the feed cost of starter broilers fed diets supplemented with Moringa oleifera leaf meal and cost/kg of diet significantly (P<0.05) increased as the level ofinclusion ofMoringa increases. Total weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) highest in starter broilers fed diet T2 and simultaneously decreases in T3 and T4 respectively as the level ofMoringa oleifera leafmeal increases. Total feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) lowest in starter broilers fed T4 diet. Total and daily feed cost significantly (P<0.05) increased with increase in the level ofinclusion ofthe test-ingredient (MOLM). Cost/kg weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) lowest in starter broilers fed T2 diets and highest inT4 and T3 respectively. This shows that broilers fed diet T2 performed better. For the finisher feed, Cost/kg diet was N100.80, Nil 1.80, N122.80 and N133.92 for Tl, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. Apart from total feed intake, all the other parameters was significantly (P<0.05) different. Total weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) lower in birds assigned to diets T3 and T4, while diet T2 competed favorably with Tl (control). It was therefore concluded that the useful chemical composition ofMoringa olifera leafmeal only enhanced the weight gain ofbroilers at a moderate inclusion level of2.5%. Also, the cost of additive supplementation ofbroiler diets with more than 5% Moringa oleifera leaf meal is beyond the reach of peasant poultry farmers and it does not produce an equivalent weight gain in the broilers.