Effect of amaranth leaf meal on performance, meat, and bone characteristics of Ross 308 broiler chickens

This study aimed to determine the effect of amaranth leaf meal (ALM) inclusion levels on the productivity of Ross 308 broiler chickens. A total of 200, day-old, Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments in a complete randomized design, with each group having four replicates with ten chicks each. Amaranth leaf meal inclusion levels used in this study were 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%. Bodyweight and feed intake were measured weekly to calculate the feed conversion ratio. Meat and bone traits of broiler chickens fed amaranth leaf meal at varying levels were also measured whereas the general linear model of statistical analysis software was used to analyze collected data. Amaranth leaf meal inclusion level had no effect (p > 0.05) on initial weight, final weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake of Ross 308 broiler chickens aged one to 42 days. Ross 308 broiler chickens which were given diets with 0 and 10% ALM inclusion levels, had higher (p < 0.05) cooking loss than those on diets with 5, 15, and 20% of ALM inclusion levels. Chickens fed with a diet having a 15% ALM inclusion level, had a greater (p < 0.05) tibia diameter than those on 0, 5, 10, and 20% ALM inclusion levels. Ross 308 broiler chickens which were fed with 5 and 15% ALM inclusion levels, had larger (p < 0.05) femur diameters than those on 0, 10, and 20% ALM inclusion levels. Ross 308 broiler chickens fed with diets having a 15% ALM inclusion level, had longer (p < 0.05) tibia lengths than those fed with diets having 0, 5, and 10% ALM inclusion levels. It can be concluded that amaranth leaf meal can be included in the diets of Ross 308 broiler chickens aged one to 42 days at 5, 10, and 15% levels without adverse effects on productivity, meat quality, and the bone characteristics of the chickens. This augurs well for poultry farmers in many parts of Africa where the production of vegetable amaranth is in abundance.