KD Adeyemi - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, PMB ۱۵۱۵ Ilorin, Nigeria
MA Adegoke - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, PMB ۱۵۱۵ Ilorin, Nigeria
MO Mudashir - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, PMB ۱۵۱۵ Ilorin, Nigeria
FM Owoyomi - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, PMB ۱۵۱۵ Ilorin, Nigeria
TO Hamzat - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, PMB ۱۵۱۵ Ilorin, Nigeria
IA Adeleke - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, PMB ۱۵۱۵ Ilorin, Nigeria
SO Ibrahim - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, PMB ۱۵۱۵ Ilorin, Nigeria
A Abdulrahman - Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, PMB ۱۵۱۵ Ilorin, Nigeria

This study examined the effect of dietary supplementation of Kigelia pinnata (KPL) and Plukenetia conophora (PCL) leaves in comparison with oxytetracycline (OXY) and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on growth performance, selected blood biochemical parameters, caecal microbiota, splenic interleukins (IL), serum immunoglobulins (Ig), carcass traits, meat quality, and oxidative stability in broiler chickens. One day old Arbor Acres chicks (n=۴۲۰) were randomly assigned to either basal diet only (BD); basal diet + ۰.۵ g/kg oxytetracycline + ۰.۱۲ g/kg BHA (OXYBHA); basal diet + ۱ g/kg KPL (KPL-۱); basal diet + ۲ g/kg KPL (KPL-۲); basal diet + ۱ g/kg PCL (PCL-۱); or basal diet + ۲ g/kg PCL (PCL-۲) for ۴۲ d. Each dietary treatment had seven replicates with ۱۰ chicks per replicate. Supplemented birds gained (P < ۰.۰۵) more weight and had a better feed conversion ratio compared with the BD birds. Hematological indices, IL-۱β, and IL-۶ did not differ among the treatments. BD birds had lower (P < ۰.۰۵) carcass weight and IL-۱۰, and higher (P < ۰.۰۵) IgG, IgM, Salmonella spp., and E. coli counts than the supplemented birds. The KPL-۲ birds had the least (P < ۰.۰۵) E. coli and Salmonella spp. counts and IgM among the supplemented birds. Lactobacillus spp. count was lower (P < ۰.۰۵) in OXYBHA birds compared with KPL and PCL birds. Carbonyl and malondialdehyde contents in the Sartorius muscle, and drip loss and carbonyl content in the Pectoralis muscle of the BD birds were higher (P < ۰.۰۵) than those of the supplemented birds. These results illustrate that the ۲ g/kg KPL and ۲ g/kg PCL could be used as an antioxidant and an antimicrobial in the diets of broiler chickens.

E. coli, Salmonella, Antioxidant, Immune status, Growth performance