Serum metabolites and weights of internal organs of broilers fed on varying levels of <i>Acacia angustissima</i> leaf meal

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between inclusion levels of Acacia angustissima leaf meal against nutritionally related blood metabolites, activity of liver enzymes, and scaled internal organs in broilers. A total of 120 Ross 308 broiler chicks with initial body weight of 0.90 ± 0.043 kg were randomly allotted to six diets containing different inclusion levels, namely 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 g kg −1 dry matter of A. angustissima leaf meal. Each inclusion level of A. angustissima leaf meal was replicated four times. Five birds were randomly assigned to each replicate. There was a linear decrease in cholesterol (P &lt; 0.05) with increasing levels of A. angustissima leaf meal. There was a linear increase in scaled gizzard weight (P &lt; 0.05), scaled heart weight (SHW; P &lt; 0.001), and intestine weight (P &lt; 0.001). Scaled spleen weight (P &lt; 0.01) had a positive quadratic relationship with levels of A. angustissima leaf meal. There was a positive quadratic response in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity with increasing levels of A. angustissima leaf meal (P &lt; 0.001). The concentration of cholesterol and liver enzymes demonstrates the potential of leaf meals to be incorporated in poultry diets. The optimum inclusion level of A. angustissima was attained at 60 g kg −1 for ALP and 90 g kg −1 for SHW.