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Abstract
An 8-week experiment was conducted to assess the weight gain and the economic importance of broiler chickens fed with Water Leaf Meal Supplements (WLM). One hundred and fifty day-old Anak 2000 broiler chicks were randomly distributed to 5 treatments which contained 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12% of WLM for A, B, C, D and E, respectively, in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was replicated three times. The birds were fed with the same starter and finisher diets. The feed and water were served ad libitum. The WLM is fairly rich in protein (19.8%), ash (10.00%) and low in oxalate and tannin. Results show that the feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG), feed conversion efficiency (FCE) and water intake (WI), the cost of feed per kg live weight gain and final body weight were significantly affected (P<0.05) by the dietary treatments at both starter and finisher phases. At the starter phase, increasing concentration of WLM in the diets led to significant (P<0.05) proportional increase in FCE. But at finisher's phase, increasing the dietary concentration of WLM led to significant (P<0.05) improvement in the FCE of the broiler. The cost of feed consumed was least on birds fed with 12% WLM (N165.31) while the highest was on the birds fed control diet (N189.85). The cost of live weight gain/kg varied from N93.96 in birds fed 12% WLM supplement to NI19.60in control, while the cost of feed consumed was least on the broiler finisher fed 12% WLM (N165.31) and highest in the control (N 189.85). Least feed cost was recorded on the birds fed with 12% WLM (N217.78/bird) and highest in the control diet (N249.97/bird). The highest profit margin was made on the birds fed with 12% WLM followed by the control diet (N 135.07/bird) and least on those fed with 9% WLM (N 119.36). The cost of feed per kilograms live weight (CFPKLW) at starter phase increased with higher concentration of WLM compared to the control, but at finishers phase, CFPKLW decreased with progressive increase in the concentration of dietary WLM. The highest profit of N145.10/bird was made by the birds fed with12% WLM while the control was N135.07/bird and 3-6%.WLM was N133.82. The benefit cost ratio followed a similar trend, it varied from 1.34:1in control to 1.40:1 in birds fed 12% WLM supplement. The study indicated that WLM is cost effective in the replacement of GNC and SBM in broiler feed without deleterious effect on performance.