Philippe Kapko Ahossi, Jacques Tossou Dougnon*, Pascal Sègbégnon Kiki, Jédirfort Missimawu Houessionon

Research Laboratory in Applied Biology (LARBA), University of Abomey-Calavi, BRepublic of Benin.

*Correspondence | Jacques Tossou Dougnon, University of Abomey-Calavi, Republic of Benin; Email: dougnonj@yahoo.fr

Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the effects of substitution of soybean meal by the Tridax procumbens powder on performance and biochemical parameters and on the characteristics of the carcass of Hubbard broilers. For this purpose, 120 day-old chicks with initial average weight of 32.77 ± 1.17 g were divided into 3 different groups of 40 chicks each. Those were T0 (control group); T10 (10% substitution of soybean meal by Tridax procumbens powder); and T20 (20% substitution rate). The experiments lasted 56 days and blood samples were taken on the 28th and 56th days for the analysis of various hematological parameters. No significant difference was obtained for the zootechnical parameters such as: the final average weight, feed efficiency, feed intake and average daily gain (p>0.05).The final average weight was 1823.62 ± 337.77g; 1828.38 ± 358.55g; and 1933.25 ± 440.57g respectively for groups T0, T10 and T20. Blood glucose level was significantly lower at the T20 group level (p>0.05). The urea concentration in the blood has decreased at the level of T10 and T20 groups. It appears from this study that the technological qualities of the meat and the colour parameters of the breast muscle were not significantly altered by the use of Tridax procumbens powder. Overall, this experiment allowed us to see that the powder of Tridax procumbens can replace soybean meal in the diet of Hubbard broilers without negative effects on their growth performance and the sensory quality of their meat.

Keywords | Tridax procumbens, zootechnical parameter, carcass characteristics, Hubbard Broiler

Editor | Asghar Ali Kamboh, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan.

Received | November10, 2015; Revised | December 07, 2015; Accepted | December 09, 2015; Published | January 08, 2016

Citation | Ahossi PK, Dougnon JT, Kiki PS, Houessionon JM (2016). Effects of Tridax procumbens powder on zootechnical, biochemical parameters and carcass characteristics of Hubbard broiler chicken. J. Anim. Health Prod. 4(1): 15-21.

ISSN | 2308–2801

Copyright © 2016 Ahossi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.