Performance, Carcass and Organ Characteristics of Broiler Chicken Fed Varying Levels of Thorn Apple (Datura stramonium) Powder

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effect of Jimson weed (Datura stramonium) as feed additive on growth performance, carcass and organ parameters of broiler chicken. A total of 180, Ross 308, 5 days old broiler chicks were randomly distributed into four (4) treatments of 3 replicates per treatment and 15 birds per replicate. T1 was the control treatment while T2, T3 and T4 contained 2g/kg, 4g/kg and 6g/kg of thorn apple supplementation levels respectively. Feeding trial lasted for 6 weeks. Data were collected on growth performance, carcass yield and organ characteristics. Result revealed that highest (P<0.05) weight gain (2.61kg) and feed intake (4.01kg) were recorded from broiler chicken fed diet containing 2g/kg of thorn apple and control diet respectively. Best feed conversion ratio (1.35) was recorded from T2 (2g/kg thorn apple). Highest (P<0.05) carcass proportion (85.57%) was recorded from broiler chicken fed diet containing 2g/kg of thorn apple while broiler chicken fed diet containing 0g/kg inclusion of thorn apple had the least (76.12%). Other cut parts were statistically (P>0.05) similar. Highest (P<0.05) gizzard and liver (1.79g and 1.64g) were recorded from broiler chicken fed diet containing 2g/kg of thorn apple while broiler chicken fed diet without the inclusion of thorn apple had the least (1.39g and 1.45g respectively) values. It can be concluded from the experiment that inclusion of thorn apple at 2g/kg in the diet of broiler chicken can serve as growth promoter with positive effect on growth performance, carcass and mild effect on organ characteristics of broiler chicken