ABSTRACT
Proximate and Amino acid analyses of beniseed and Moringa leaves were carried
out. This was followed by two feeding trials conducted to evaluate Beniseed
(Sesamum indicum) and Drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera) leaf meals as potential
feed ingredients and as sources of methionine in Broiler diets. Experiment one was
carried out to compare the growth performances of 40 broiler chicks with 20 chicks
each on raw or cooked Moringa leaf meals. There were two replicates of 10 birds
each for the raw and for the cooked Moringa leaf meals to determine if raw Moringa
leaf meal can be safely fed in broiler diets. In experiment two, 252 broiler birds
were used for the starter and finisher phases of the experiment on seven dietary
treatments comprising of control, three of beniseed diets and three of Moringa leaf
meal diets in a completely randomized design. The control diet contained neither
the beniseed nor the Moringa leaf meal. The three beniseed diets contained (a) 6%
beniseed plus 0.25% methionine or (b) 6% beniseed plus 0.125% methionine or (c)
6% beniseed without methionine supplementation. The three Moringa diets also
contained (a) 6% Moringa leaf meal plus 0.25% methionine or (b) 6% Moringa leaf
meal plus 0.125% methionine or (c) 6% Moringa leaf meal without methionine
supplementation. The results for the proximate analyses showed that beniseed had
a crude protein content of 23.13%, raw Moringa leaf had 25.25% crude protein,
while cooked Moringa leaf had a crude protein of 22.44%. The amino acid
composition showed that beniseed had 0.87% methionine and 0.99% cystine.
vi ii
Moringa leaf on the other hand had 0.26% methionine and 0.17% cystine. The
results for experiment 1 showed that there were no significant differences (P>0.05)
in terms of final weights (749.85g/bird and 754.27g/bird) and average daily gains
(25.31g/bird and 25.47g/bird) between broiler chicks on the raw Moringa leaf meal
and those on cooked Moringa leaf meal respectively. Broiler chicks on cooked
Moringa leaf meal gave significantly (P<0.05) higher cost of feed per kg gain than
those on raw Moringa leaf meal. The results for experiment 2 for both the starter
and finisher phases showed that broilers fed Moringa leaf meal at 6% dietary level
gave better results in terms of final weight and average daily gains than broilers
fed the control or the beniseed diets. Birds on 6% Moringa leaf meal diet without
supplemental methionine performed equally well as birds on the control diet
(P>0.05) and significantly better than birds on the beniseed diets without
supplemental methionine (P<0.05). Carcass characteristics of the broilers at nine
weeks of age, showed no significant differences (P>0.05) among dietary treatments
in terms of the choice parts of the carcass (breast, thighs and drumsticks). Raw
Moringa leaf meal could be used at 6% dietary level in broiler finisher diets
without any adverse effect on growth performance. It was also observed that the
use of Moringa leaf meal can partially or wholly replace the required level of
supplemental methionine in broiler diets.
ix
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page – – – – – – – – – i
Declaration – – – – – – – – – ii
Certification – – – – – – – – – iii
Dedication – – – – – – – – – iv
Acknowledgements – – – – – – – v
Abstract – – – – – – – – – vii
Table of Contents – – – – – – – – ix
List of Tables – – – – – – – – xiii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction – – – – – – – – 1
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Utilization of Local Plant Materials for Animal Feeds – – 4
2.2 Agronomic Characteristics of Beniseed – – – – 4
2.3 Agronomic Characteristics of Moringa Plant – – – 5
2.4 Chemical and Nutritional Composition of Beniseed and Moringa
Leaves – – – – – – – – 6
2.5 Antinutritional Factors in Moringa Leaves and Beniseed – 7
2.6 Factors Affecting the Nutritional Compositions of Beniseed and
Moringa Leaves – – – – – – – 7
2.7 Processing Methods of Beniseed and Moringa Leaves for Feeds 9
x
2.8 Effects of Processing Methods on Antinutritional Contents
of Moringa Leaves and Beniseed – – – – 9
2.9 General Utilization of Beniseed and Moringa Plant – – 10
2.10 Utilization of Beniseed and Moringa Leaves in the Feed of Farm
Animals – – – – – – – – 10
CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Experimental Site – – – – – – – 13
3.2 Laboratory Analyses of Beniseed and Moringa Leaf – – 13
3.3 Processing of Moringa Leaves and Formulation of Diets
for Experiment 1 – – – – – – – 13
3.4 Processing of Moringa Leaves and Beniseed Formulations of Diets
For Experiment 2 – – – – – – – 14
3.5 Experimental Birds and General Flock Management – – 16
3.5.1 Experiment 1: Evaluation of Raw and Cooked Moringa Leaves as
Potential Feed Ingredients in Broiler Starter Diets – – 16
3.5.2 Experiment 2: Evaluation of Raw Moringa Leaf Meal and Roasted
Beniseed as Sources of Methionine in the Diets of Broilers – 16
3.6 Data Collection – – – – – – – 19
3.7 Data Analyses – – – – – – – 20
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS
4.1 Proximate Analyses of Beniseed, Raw and Cooked Moringa Leaves 21
4.2 Amino Acid Analyses of Roasted Beniseed and Raw Moringa leaf – 22
4.3 Experiment 1: Comparison of Raw and Cooked Moringa Leaves
as Potential Feed Ingredients in Broiler Diets (0 – 4 weeks) – 22
4.4 Experiment 2: Evaluation of Raw Moringa Leaves and Roasted
Beniseed as sources of Methionine in Broiler Diets. – – 24
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4.4.1 Performances of Broilers Fed Control, Three of Beniseed or Three
of Moringa Leaf Diets (0 – 4 weeks) – – – – 24
4.4.2 Performances of Broilers fed Control Diet, Beniseed Diets and
Moringa Leaf Meal Diets (0 – 4 weeks). – – – 26
4.4.3 Performances of Broiler Chicks fed Beniseed Diets and Moringa
Leaf Diets. – – – – – – – 29
4.5 Performances of Broilers Fed Control Diet, Three Beniseed Diets
and Three Moringa Leaf Diets (5 – 8 weeks) – – – 29
4.5.1 Broiler Performances when fed the Control Diet, Beniseed Diets
And Moringa Leaf Diets (5 – 8 weeks). – – – – 32
4.5.2 Performances of Broilers fed Beniseed Diets and Moringa Leaf
Meal Diets (5 – 8 weeks). – – – – – – 34
4.6 Effect of the Control, Three Beniseed and Three Moringa leaf Diets
on the Carcass Characteristics of Broiler finishers – – 35
4.6.1 Effects of the Control Diet, Beniseed Diets and the Moringa Leaf
Diets on Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Finishers. – – 37
4.6.2 Carcass Characteristics of Broilers fed Beniseed Diets and Moringa
Leaf Diets – – – – – – – – 38
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION
5.0 Proximate and Amino-Acid Analyses of Beniseed and Moringa
Leaf Meal – – – – – – – – 42
5.1 Proximate Composition and Amino Acid Composition of Beniseed 42
5.2 Proximate Composition and Amino Acid Composition of Moringa
Leaf – – – – – – – – – 42
5.3 Comparison of the Proximate and Amino Acid Compositions of
Beniseed and Moringa Leaf. – – – – – 43
xi i
5.4 Experiment 1: Comparison of Raw and Cooked Moringa Leaf Meal as
Potential Feed Ingredients in Broiler Diets (0 – 4 weeks) – 44
5.5 Experiment 2: Evaluation of Beniseed and Moringa Leaf Meal
as Sources of Methionine in Broiler Diets (0 – 4 weeks) – 45
5.6 The Performance of Broilers Fed Beniseed or Moringa Leaf
meal Diets with or without Supplemental Methionine
(5 – 8 weeks) – – – – – – – – 48
5.7 Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Finishers Fed Beniseed
and Moringa Leaf Meal as Sources of Methionine. – – 52
CHAPTER SIX
6.0 Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations – – 54
REFERENCES – – – – – – – – 56
xi ii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
Feed is the most important input in a poultry enterprise where it represents
between 60 and 70 percent of the total cost of production (Smith, 2001). In the
tropics there is a growing scarcity of animal feed resources. This is one of the major
constraints to increased livestock production (Sarwatt, 1989). The potential for
greater production is obvious but first the problem of nutritional deficiency must
be solved. Aduku (1992), reported that successful animal production requires an
adequate supply of cheap and balanced feed. It is therefore important to take
advantage of the various feed ingredients available at economical prices at certain
times of the year (Kekeocha, 1984). Some of these alternative feed ingredients that
could be used to reduce cost are beniseed and Moringa leaf.
Beniseed is an annual tropical crop belonging to the family Pedaliacea. The
crop originated in Africa and is sensitive to daylength. In fact, both long day and
short-day forms are available (Anochili, and Tindall, 1986). Depending on the
variety, the seeds vary in colour. There are yellow, brown, black and white (Brouk,
1975). The white beniseed (Sesamum indicum) produces white seeds which yields
up to 50 percent oil. Another species (Sesamum radiatum), produces black or dark
brown seeds which yield 32 to 37 percent oil (Anochili and Tindall, 1986). Beniseed
is abundantly produced in the Guinea savannah region of Nigeria (Eyo et al., 2004).
The meal is a good source of protein and it is especially rich in methionine. It is
2
used extensively as a protein supplement in poultry and swine rations in the
tropical regions where the crop is produced in abundance (Gohl, 1975).
Drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera) is a member of Moringacea family which
originated from India (Olson, 2001). Drumstick tree is the most common English
name for Moringa oleifera. Other English names for Moringa are Horseradish,
Mother’s best friend, Radish tree and West Indian ben. The plant is a small tree
with thick grey bark, fragrant white flowers and long green pods (Makkar and
Becker, 1996). The plant grows throughout most of the tropics, but it is most
commonly found in Africa, Asia and the America. There are 13 species of
drumstick tree, of which Moringa oleifera is the most common (Muriella, 2007). The
leaves have been reported to have a high content of methionine (Gupta et al., 1989).
Moringa leaf is also known to contain some antinutritional factors such as phytic
acid, tannins and saponins (Makkar and Becker, 1996).
Methionine plays a number of important roles in the metabolism of farm
animals. Apart from being a constituent of proteins, it has a unique role as the
initiating amino acid for all polypeptide synthesis. It donates methyl groups in a
number of important synthetic reactions and its sulphur moiety can be used in the
synthesis of cystine (Saunderson and Mackinlay, 1990). Methionine also improves
the efficiency of feed utilization. It reduces mortality, cannibalism, improves egg
size and prevents accumulation of excess fat in layers (Oluyemi and Roberts, 1988).
This study was motivated by the fact that synthetic methionine is currently
being imported into the country at exorbitant prices, which adds to the cost of
3
producing poultry feeds. Moringa leaves and beniseed have appreciable quantities
of methionine and they are available locally. It is hoped that when these two
natural sources of methionine are used in broiler diets, their methionine contents
could spare wholly or partly the need for supplemental methionine in feeds and
enhance growth in addition to provision of other nutrients and bulk to the diets.
Objective of the Study
The objectives of this study were:
I. To determine the proximate compositions of roasted beniseed and Moringa
leaf meals.
II. To determine the amino acid profiles of roasted beniseed and Moringa leaf
meal.
III. To determine if Moringa leaf meal can be fed in its raw state without any
deleterious effects on the growth performance of broiler chicks.
IV. To determine the nutritional value of Moringa leaf meal and roasted full fat
beniseed in broiler starter and finisher diets.
V. To determine further if Moringa leaf meal and roasted full fat beniseed can be
used as sources of methionine to replace supplemental methionine in broiler
starter and finisher diets.
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