Effect of moringa leaf extract and clove bud oil alone or in combination on growth performance, immunity and carcass characteristic of broiler chicken

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of moringa leaf extract and clove bud oil on growth performance, nutrient utilization, immunity and carcass characteristic in broilers. Two hundred day old broiler chicks (Vencobb) were divided into five groups comprising of five replicates (n=5) for a period of 42 days. Five treatments: 1) basal diet (CON; without AGP, plant extracts and essential oil); 2) basal diet + Bacitracin methylene disalicylate (AGP) @ 0.5 g/kg of feed; 3) basal diet + Moringa oleifera leaf extract @ 0.55 g/kg of feed (MPE); 4) the basal diet + clove bud oil @ 0.6 g/kg of feed (CBO); and 5) basal diet + M. oleifera extract @ 0.55 g/kg of feed and clove bud oil @ 0.6 g/kg of feed (MPCBO). Final body weight gain was significantly higher (P<0.01) in MPCBO as compared to other groups. FCR was tended (P=0.07) to be improved in CBO and MPCBO compared to other groups. Metabolizability of nutrients were not affected (P>0.05) except NFE which was significantly (P<0.01) higher in MPCBO. Serum biochemical parameters glucose, total protein, total cholesterol and triglycerides did not differ significantly among the treatment groups. Antioxidant profiles of serum, breast and thigh muscle were found to be non-significant among the groups. Antibody titres against Newcastle disease virus was not affected due to treatments. Five birds from each group were slaughtered after 42 days and vire was no difference in carcass characteristics among the groups. It can be concluded that clove bud oil (@ 0.6 g/kg) alone and/or in combination with moringa leaf extracts (@ 0.55 g/kg) have the potential to be used as alternative to antibiotic growth promoter.