GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY OF FEED CONVERSION OF BROILER CHICKEN ORALLY-ADMINISTERED Aloe vera AND Vernonia amygdalina LEAF EXTRACTS AS PHYTOMEDICINES

Abstract

This study evaluated the growth performance and economy of feed conversion of broiler chicken orallyadministered Aloe vera and Vernonia amygdalina leaf extracts as phytomedicines. Using a completely randomized design (CRD) model, a total of 120 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four treatments. with three replicates having ten birds per replicate thus: T1 (control, vaccinated against Gumboro disease at the 1st and 3rd week of the experiment and against Newcastle disease at the 2nd and 4th week of the experiment); T2 (administered 100 g Aloe vera/4 litres of water); T3 (administered 100 g Aloe vera + 50 g Vernonia amygdalina/4 litres of water); and T4 (administered 100 g Aloe vera + 100 g Vernonia amygdalina/4 litres of water). The extracts were administered over four consecutive days per week followed by three days resting period, for five weeks. All groups were fed the same diet (single phase formulated diet) for eight weeks. Data collected for growth performance and economy of feed conversion were analysed using the SPSS statistical package (version 23, 2021). Results showed that although there were no significant differences (P>0.05) in growth performance across the treatments during the starter and finisher phases, T2 (100 g Aloe vera/4 litres of water) consistently showed better weight gain and lower FCR, indicating superior growth performance. In conclusion, Aloe vera and Vernonia amygdalina extracts did not negatively affect broiler growth performance, and T2 emerged as the optimal treatment, offering the best balance between growth performance and economic efficiency