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Growth performance, blood parameters, carcass characteristics and meat quality traits in Potchefstroom Koekoek chickens fed Lippia javanica leaf meal

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Abstract

Lippia javanica leaves may have nutraceutical bioactivity and thus could be a viable alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry diets. To test this hypothesis, a feeding trial was carried out to determine the effects of dietary inclusion of Lippia javanica leaf meal (LJ) on growth performance, blood parameters, carcass characteristics and meat quality of indigenous Potchefstroom Koekoek (PK) chickens. The leaf meal was used to dilute a commercial chicken grower diet at a rate of 25 or 50 g/kg diet. Two additional experimental diets, a positive control (commercial chicken grower diet with antibiotics, CON+) and a negative control (commercial chicken grower diet without antibiotics, CON–), were also formulated. Feed intake and growth performance were measured over a period of 13 weeks before slaughtering for carcass and meat quality measurements. Blood was collected in week 11 to determine haematological and serum biochemical parameters. Diet had no effect on overall FCE but significantly (P < 0.05) affected bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), sodium, potassium, cholesterol and magnesium levels in blood. When included at 50 g/kg, LJ increased carcass weight (P < 0.05). Meat from CON– (6.07) and LJ50 (6.08) chickens had a higher pH than from CON+ (5.9) and LJ25 (5.8) chickens. Breast muscle in CON– chickens had higher (P < 0.05) lightness (L*) value (53.2) compared to chickens fed on other diets. It was observed that meat from LJ25 chickens had the highest for redness value (2.3). It was concluded that L. javanica leaf meal can be included up to 50 g/kg in Potchefstroom koekoek chicken diets without causing negative effects on the birds’ feed intake, utilisation and weight gain. Diet-induced changes observed in blood parameters and meat quality fell within the expected normal ranges for indigenous chickens.

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Acknowledgements

The financial assistance of the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) and National Research Foundation (NRF) is hereby acknowledged. We are also grateful to Mafikeng Game Reserve for granting us permission to harvest the Lippia javanica.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, P Bag x2046, Mmabatho, 2735, South Africa

    T. B. Matshogo, V. Mlambo, U. Marume & N. Sebola

  2. Food Security and Safety Niche area, Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology, North-West University, P Bag x2046, Mmabatho, 2735, South Africa

    T. B. Matshogo, V. Mlambo, U. Marume & N. Sebola

Authors
  1. T. B. Matshogo
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  2. V. Mlambo
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  3. U. Marume
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  4. N. Sebola
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Correspondence to V. Mlambo.

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Statement of animal rights

The rearing and slaughter of chickens in this study were approved by the North-West University’s Animal Research Ethics Committee (Approval Number: NWU0052216A9). As such, the investigation has been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Matshogo, T.B., Mlambo, V., Marume, U. et al. Growth performance, blood parameters, carcass characteristics and meat quality traits in Potchefstroom Koekoek chickens fed Lippia javanica leaf meal. Trop Anim Health Prod 50, 1787–1795 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-018-1620-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-018-1620-9

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