Effect of graded levels of guava (Psidium guajava L.) leaf meal on productive performance and meat organoleptic properties of chicken

A study was carried out to determine the productive performance and meat organoleptic properties of finisher broiler fed diets supplemented with graded levels of dried guava leaf meal (DGLM) as a phytogenic feed additive. The study was conducted at the livestock experimental unit of National Veterinary Research Institute Vom, Nigeria. Two hundred and forty unsexed 5-weeks-old broilers of similar mean live weight were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary groups with 3 replicates (0, 150g, 300g and 450g of DGLM per 100kg basal diets) over a four weeks finisher period, in completely randomized design. All the diets of iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric and water were served to the birds ad libitum. The results of the finisher phase of the experiment showed that, though the average daily feed intakes of all the treatments were the same, the final body weights of birds fed T4 diets were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those fed other diets. Feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and feed cost/weight gain followed similar trend as in body weight gain. The organoleptic properties (colour, appearance, texture, taste and aroma) of all the treatment groups revealed that DGLM had no adverse effect on broiler meat. The study concluded that the supplementation of DGLM at 300g and 450g/ 100kg enhanced utilization of nutrients in the diets resulting in impressive growth performance, reduced feed cost/weight gain, and high survivability without influencing the organoleptic properties of finisher broiler chickens.