Utilização da folha de moringa (moringa oleifera) na alimentação de frangos de crescimento lento

Abstract

The present work was developed in the Poultry Sector of the Federal University of Tocantins - Campus Araguaína, with the objective of evaluating the use of the moringa leaf (Moringa oleifera) in the feeding of slow growing chickens. Two experiments were developed, in the first to determine the nutritional values of the moringa leaf and the apparent metabolism coefficients of dry matter (CMMS), crude protein (CMPB), crude energy (CMEB), neutral detergent fiber (CMFDN), energy apparent metabolizable (EAM) and metabolizable energy corrected for the nitrogen balance (EAMn), of the basal and experimentals diets, containing moringa leaf (ML). 120 birds, in a mixed flock, of the red peeled neck strain, with 21 days of age were used. The experimental period was seven days, four for adaptation to experimentals diets and three for total excreta collection. At the end of the experimental period, feed consumption and total excreta production were counted. The design was completely randomized (DCR), with two treatments, six replicates and ten birds per experimental unit. In experiment II, the objective was to evaluate the inclusion of moringa leaf in diets of slow growing chickens from one to 80 days old and its effect on performance, carcass characteristics, biometry of the organs of the digestive tract and meat color. 250 birds, of the mixed flock, of the red peeled neck strain, were used, with one day of age. The experimental design was completely randomized (DIC) with four treatments (0.75%; 1.50%; 2.25% and 3.00% of inclusion of moringa leaf), five replications and ten birds per experimental unit. In experiment I, the moringa leaf showed values for CMMS, CMPB, CMEB and CMFDN, and EMA, EMAn of 49.77%; 44.48%; 46.26% and 53.02%; 2334 (kcal/kg) and 2159 (kcal/kg) respectively. In experiment II, the increasing levels of inclusion of the moringa leaf did not influence (p>0.05) the feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion, final weight at 30, 60 and 80 days, carcass yields and noble cuts, relative weights of gizzard, liver, heart, rate of abdominal fat, small intestine, spleen, bursa, luminosity, a* and b* color of skin and flesh. Thus, the inclusion of the moringa leaf can be used up to the level of 3% in diets of slow growing chickens from one to 80 days of age.