Carcass Characteristics of Laying Birds Fed Chromolaena odorata Leaf Meal in their Ration

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the carcass and organ characteristics of laying hens fed graded levels of Chromolaena odorata leaf meal (COLM) as a replacement for soya bean in their diets. Sixty points-of-lay pullets (19 weeks) were randomly assigned in triplicates of eight birds per replicate to four experimental diets containing COLM at 0, 5, 10 and 15%. At the end of 56 days of experiment, a bird from each replicate was selected for carcass and organ weights analysis. COLM diets had reduced starve weight, carcass and dressed weights, but recorded good dressed percentages. Prime cuts such as the breast and thigh weight percentages were reduced beyond 5% COLM replacement of soya bean. Same trend was also observed for oviductal development of the birds which drastically reduced with increased inclusion of COLM. Therefore the inclusion of COLM in the diets of laying birds should not exceed 5% beyond which it may negatively affect carcass yield and reproductive performance.