The Effect of Adding Two Levels of Dried Molokhia (Corchorus Olitorius L.) Leaves Powder to the Diet for Different Periods on the Productive Performance of Broilers

Abstract

This study has conducted in the poultry field of (Abu Ghraib site) related to animal production Department/ College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences/ University of Baghdad for 42 days (from 15, Oct, 2021 to 26^th, Nov, 2021). The study aims at investigating the effect of adding the powder of Corchorus Olitorius dried leaves to diet for different periods on the productive performance of broilers. 315 broiler chicks are used of (Ross 308) at one-day old with initial weight of 40 gm. The chicks are divided into seven treatments and three replicators for each treatment; each replicator includes 15 chicks. The chicks starting from age 1-21 days are fed with a (starter) chicken diet contain (3006.5 kcal Metabolizable energy / Kg. feed( and 22% crude protein. Then the chicks are fed with a (finisher) chicken feed from 22-42 days age. The finisher diet contains of 3171.11 kcal Metabolizable energy / Kg. feed and 20.54 crude protein. The results of the study show a general improvement in averages of live weight. Improvement was obvious on T2 & T3 treatment where the powder of Corchorus Olitorius dried leaves is added from day 1-21. The treatment T2& T3 are improved as well into the ratio 1% & 0.5% respectively and T7 into the ratio 1% of weight increase. As for feed consumption average, an improvement is noted in week three for the treatments T7&T4and in the fifth and sixth week for the treatment T2. The results show an improvement on feed conversion factor (p˂0.05) in week two for the treatment T5 (1.15) and week three for the treatment T4 (1.57) and week four for the treatment T7 (1.52) compared to control treatment. It was shown a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in the productivity index values for each of the second, third and cumulative weeks of treatment T2 and the fourth week of treatment T6. It is concluded that adding the powder of Corchorus Olitorius L. dried leaves at 1&0.5% ratio to broiler diets participates in improving some production of broilers compared to control treatment.