Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed Diets Supplemented with Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal in Ogun State

This study evaluates the effects of dietary supplementation with Moringa oleifera leaf meal on the growth performance of broiler chickens in Ogun State, located in Nigeria's South West geopolitical zone. Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing multipurpose plant native to Nigeria with documented nutritional and bioactive properties, and its use as a poultry feed supplement represents a potentially cost-effective alternative to synthetic growth promoters. Using a completely randomised design, 150 day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were allocated to five dietary treatment groups of 30 birds each, receiving Moringa oleifera leaf meal at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 percent dietary inclusion levels. Growth parameters including weekly body weight gain, daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality rate were recorded over six weeks. Carcass characteristics were assessed at slaughter. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test. Findings revealed that birds in the 4 percent inclusion group achieved the highest mean body weight gain and the best feed conversion ratio among all treatment groups. Performance declined at the 8 percent inclusion level, likely due to anti-nutritional factors at high inclusion rates. Carcass yield was significantly improved in the 4 and 6 percent groups compared to the control. The study concludes that dietary supplementation with Moringa oleifera leaf meal at 4 percent optimises broiler growth performance and recommends further economic analyses to support adoption by smallholder poultry farmers in South West Nigeria. Keywords: Moringa oleifera, broiler chickens, growth performance, feed supplement, Ogun State.