Comparison of the effects of bioactive compounds of plant parts of ficus sycomorus and piliostigma thonningii on the performance of broilers

Abstract

The research aimed at comparing the effectiveness of bioactive compounds of edible plant parts of P. thonningii (leaves, fruit pod and bark) and F. sycomorus (leaves and bark) on growth, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio, of Cobb 500 broilers as potential replacements of synthetic growth promoting antibiotics. The experiment was conducted at the University of Zambia; School of Agricultural Sciences Field Station over a period of six (6) weeks in a Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD), with 6 treatments and 3 replications. The 1% inclusion of F.sycomorus and P. thonningii plant parts in feed rations showed no significant differences {P<0.05) on the live weight, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio in comparison to the birds on conventional management. The bioactive compounds in the edible plant parts of F. sycomorus and P. thonningii had a positive effect on the performance of broilers and hence may substitute for synthetic antibiotics.