GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF BROILER CHICKENS FED Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum canum LEAVES MEALS SUPPLEMENTED DIETS AS PHYTOBIOTICS

Abstract

The study evaluated the growth performance and economic benefit of broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with Ocimum gratissimum and Ocimum canum leaves meals using 360 Cobb 500 broilers chicks allotted to six dietary treatment of 0g, 400g and 800g of O. gratissimum, 400g and 800g of O. canum leaves meals while oxytetracycline (oxytet) as recommended by the manufacturer was used as positive control. Birds were housed in a deep litter pen, feed and water were supplied ad libitum. Data were collected on growth parameters economic benefits. All data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and significant differences among treatment means were compared using Tukey procedures. The growth performance result showed high final weight, weight gained, feed intake and feeding efficiency in broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with O. gratissimum, O. canum and oxytet. Broiler chickens fed diets containing oxytet and Ocimum canum at 800 g/100kg diet had better economic returns with higher return per naira invested of 2.07 and 2.08, respectively. Hence, addition of O. gratissimum and O. canum in broiler chickens diets at 800g/100kg diet significantly improved weight gained and economic return and can be used at 800g/100kg diets as an alternative to synthetic antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) for improved growth performance and higher economic returns.