GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKENS ADMINISTERED SENNA ALATA LEAF EXTRACT
Abstract
A six-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of aqueous Senna alata leaf
extract (ASLE) on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 200
day-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments, each consisting of 40
birds with four (4) replicates of 10 birds in a Completely Randomized Design. All birds were fed
a standard basal diet, while the treatment groups received graded levels of aqueous Senna alata
leaf extract (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mL) administered daily through drinking water. Growth
performance parameters such as body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio
(FCR), and carcass characteristics were measured. Data obtained were subjected to one-way
analysis of variance at a 5% level of significance. Results revealed that initial weight, feed
intake, and average daily feed intake were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by ASLE
supplementation. However, birds in the highest inclusion group (20 mL) recorded significantly
(p0.05) differences in live weight, bled weight, defeathered weight,
eviscerated weight, and most primal cuts across treatments. Nonetheless, significant differences
(p
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