Growth Performance, Carcass Quality and Cost-Benefit of Finisher Broiler Chickens Fed Varying Dietary Levels of Editan (Lasianthera africana) Leaf Meal

Abstract

The utilisation of alternative feed ingredients, particularly leaf meals, in broiler diets has gained increasing research attention because of their potential nutritional and economic benefits. Editan (Lasianthera africana) leaf meal is a novel feed ingredient that is rich in crude protein, dietary fibre, vitamins, amino acids, antioxidant compounds and phytochemicals such as phenols and flavonoids. This study evaluated the effects of varying dietary levels of Lasianthera africana (Editan) leaf meal (ELM) on the growth performance, carcass quality and economic implications of finisher broiler chickens. A total of one hundred and fifty (150) day-old Abor Acre broiler chicks were allocated to five dietary treatments containing 0%, 5%, 6%, 7% and 8% ELM in a completely randomised design. Each treatment consisted of 30 birds with three replicates of 10 birds each. The birds were managed under standard husbandry conditions for 56 days. Growth performance parameters, carcass characteristics and cost-benefit indices were evaluated using analysis of variance. Results showed that dietary inclusion of ELM significantly influenced most growth performance parameters (P < 0.05). Birds fed ELM diets showed variations in feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio, with some parameters comparable to the control group. Carcass evaluation revealed significant differences in most primal cuts, although dressing percentage and some organs, such as the liver and heart, were not significantly or adversely affected. Internal organ weights were also variably influenced by dietary treatments, with no evidence of pathological enlargement or toxicity. Economic analysis showed that feed cost increased with higher inclusion levels of ELM. However, revenue and gross profit varied across treatments, with no consistent linear trend. The study suggests that Lasianthera africana leaf meal can be incorporated into broiler finisher diets up to 8% without adverse effects on growth performance and carcass quality. However, economic efficiency may depend on the inclusion level and feed formulation balance. Further research is recommended to optimise inclusion rates for improved cost-effectiveness and performance consistency.