Growth and carcass responses of broiler chickens to dietary inclusion of Polyalthia longifolia leaf meal

Faculty of Animal Sciences, Universitas Jambi. Jl. Raya Muarabulian-Jambi KM 15, Mendalo, Muara Jambi, JAMBI, Indonesia

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Abstract

Polyalthia longifolia, originally a plant from India and commonly known in Indonesia as glodokan tiang, is a widely cultivated ornamental tree characterized by its tall growth and short branches. The plant contains various bioactive compounds including alkaloids, steroids, tannins, and saponins, which are associated with improved growth performance, feed efficiency, and meat quality in livestock. Additionally, its flavonoid content has been reported to stimulate appetite, regulate feed intake, and enhance pigmentation. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of incorporating P. longifolia leaf meal into broiler rations. The experiment, carried out for five weeks at the Faculty of Animal Husbandry, University of Jambi, involved 200 day-old chicks allocated to four dietary treatments: P0 (0% leaf meal), P1(2%), P2 (4%), and P3 (6%). A completely randomized design with four treatments and five replicates was applied, and the collected data were analyzed using analysis of variance. The results demonstrated that inclusion of P. longifolia leaf meal significantly decreased slaughter weight, carcass weight, and abdominal fat percentage, whereas no significant difference was observed in relative carcass weight. In conclusion, supplementation of up to 2% P. longifolia leaf meal in broiler diets did not adversely affect slaughter weight, carcass yield, relative carcass weight, or abdominal fat percentage.