Abstract
A study was carried out to determine the effects of raw, soaked and boiled leucaena meals on performance, serum metabolites and hematological profile of broiler chickens. The soaked leucaena meal (SLM) was processed by soaking fresh leucaena leaves and twigs in water for 48hrs. The boiled leucaena meal (BLM) was processed by submerging another batch of fresh leucaena leaves and twigs in boiling water (1000C) and then made to boil for 1hr. The raw leucaena meal (RLM), SLM and BLM were incorporated into the broiler diets at 0%, 5% and 10% levels respectively. A total of two hundred and eighty (280) broiler chickens of Marshal strain were allotted into seven groups in a completely randomized design. Feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in birds fed 10% RLM. Weight gain (WG) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in birds fed 5% RLM, 10% RLM, 10%SLM and 10% BLM, but similar (P>0.05) between those fed control diet, 5% SLM and 5%BLM respectively. The feed conversion ratio was higher (P<0.05) in birds fed 5% RLM, 10% RLM, 10% SLM and 10% BLM. The serum total protein was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in birds fed RLM based diets. The serum globulin and albumin were however similar (P>0.05) across the groups. Haemoglobin, white blood cells, red blood cells and packed cell volume were similar (P>0.05) between birds fed control diet, 5%SLM and 5% BLM respectively, while other groups showed significant (P<0.05) reductions respectively. The toxicological effects of RLM were more pronounced at 10% level of inclusion in the diet. It is therefore recommended in this study that SLM and BLM can be incorporated into diets of broiler chickens at 5% level.
