Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences

Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with Talinum triangulare leaf meal (TTLM), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC), or a combination of the two (TTLM + SC) on broiler production indices. A total of 120-day old broiler chicks were used for the study. The broiler chicks were acclimatised during the one week brooding period and randomly allocated to four experimental groups (Groups A, B, C and D). Group A received basal feed without supplementation (Unsupplemented control). Group B was given feed supplemented with 60 g of TTLM per kg of feed, Group C was given feed supplemented with 0.8 g of SC per kg of feed, while Group D was given feed supplemented with a combination of 60 g of TTLM + 0.8 g of SC per kg of feed. The feeding experiment lasted for 6 weeks: 4 weeks of starter phase and 2 weeks of finisher phase. Growth performance (GP) indices, apparent nutrient digestibility (AND) and carcass yield (CY) of the broilers were evaluated. Supplementation with TTLM, SC or the TTLM + SC combination had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on GP indices. Supplementation with SC significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced AND for protein and fibre. The unsupplemented control group had significantly higher AND for fat than the supplemented groups. Combined TTLM and SC supplementation yielded significantly (p < 0.05) higher dressing percentage score than the SC supplemented group. Significantly (p < 0.05) higher yield of breast cut was recorded for TTLM supplemented group, which also had highest values for thigh and drumstick over other groups. It was concluded that supplementation with TTLM, SC or TTLM + SC combination did not significantly enhance growth performance indices in both starter and finisher phases of broiler growth, but the group supplemented with TTLM + SC combination had the overall highest dressing percentage, while the group supplemented with TTLM alone had higher breast, thigh and drumstick dress percentage. Crude protein and fibre digestibility were highest in the group supplemented with SC, while crude fat digestibility was depressed in all supplemented groups.

Keywords: Supplementation; Growth performance; Carcass yield, Broiler chickens; Talinum triangulare; Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

How to cite this article:
Akubueze HU and Aronu CJ (2023). Comparison of the effects of supplementation of broiler diet with Talinum triangulare, Saccharomyces cerevisiae or a combination of both on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass yield of broiler chickens. Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences, 13(2): 170 – 181.

*Correspondence: E-mail: chinwe.aronu@unn.edu.ng Phone: +2347030627496