Effects of Varying Inclusion Levels of Different Parts of Costus afer on the Growth Performance of Broilers

Abstract

Aims: To determine the effects of different inclusion levels of various parts of Costus afer on the growth performance of broilers. Study Design: The study employed a 3 x 4 factorial design consisting of three plant parts of Costus afer (leaf meal, stem meal and leaf + stem meal) and four inclusion levels (0%, 1%, 2% and 3%). Place and Duration of Study: Animal house, Department of Zoology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, between April 2023 and June 2023. Methodology: 150-day-old broiler chicks of mean live body weight of 35g were randomly assigned to ten dietary treatment groups (A – J) in a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement. Each group contained 15 birds, divided into three replicates of five weight-matched birds. Data was collected on growth performance parameters (cumulative feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio) and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26. The statistical significance difference between the different treatment groups was analyzed using two-way ANOVA. Duncan’s multiple range test was used to separate the mean significant differences between the plant parts and inclusion levels. The level of significance was set at P = .05.           Results: The results of the cumulative feed intake (CFI) of broilers showed that there was a statistically significant effect (P = .05) of plant part (P < .001), inclusion level (P < .001), and an interaction between plant part and inclusion level (P < .001) on the CFI, as well as on the inclusion levels of the BWG (P = .003), and FCR (P = .001) of the broilers. Conclusion: The findings of the study demonstrated that 2% inclusion level of the leaf and stem meal, as well as the leaf + stem meal at 1% inclusion level in the diet of broilers boost the growth performance of broilers, without inducing physiological stress.