Potentials of Scent Leaves (O. gratissimum) as Feed Additive on Performance, Selected Blood Biochemicals and Helminthiasis in Weaner Pigs

Purpose: A study was conducted to examine the potentials of scent leaves (SL) (O. gratissimum) meal as a feed additive on performance, blood biochemicals and antihelmintic in weaner pigs. Methodology: Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was adopted using 30 mixed breed of large-white and duroc weaner pigs, allocated to three treatments with ten pigs each, replicated five times with two pigs per replicate. Formulated diet (1) is a Positive Control (PC) - supplemented with Kepro-dewomer, diet 2 a Negative Control (NC) - without Kepro-dewomer and Scent Leaves (SL), while Diet 3 was supplemented with Scent Leaves (SL) at 1.0%. Data collected were analysed using ANOVA with SAS software. Treatment means were separated using Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. Findings: Results indicated that there were significant (p<0.05) differences among treatments in final body weight gain (FBWG). Highest daily weight gain (HDWG) (0.51kg) and highest daily feed intake (HDFI) (0.46kg) were recorded in pigs fed diet 3. Packed cell volume (PCV), Red blood cell (RBC), Haemoglobin (Hb) levels were not significantly (p>0.05) different among the experimental groups 1 and 3: (37.01) (26.7), (12.72) (39.11) (25.5) (12.88) respectively. Meanwhile, diets 1 and 3 were significantly (p<0.05) improved serum biochemicals parameters (Aspartate amino transferase - AST). (Alanine aminotransferase - ALT) and (Alkaline phosphate - ALP) compared with diet 2. Kepro dewomer and scent leaves dietary supplementation had a significant reduction on oocysts shedded per gram of feaces in diet 1 (30.42, 31.03, 32.96) and diet 3 (36.78, 35.89, 31.11) compared with diet 2 (61.3, 63.41, 68.01) respectively Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The idea of alternative medication theory to synthetic drug in livestock feeds was conceived and developed; towards solving the problem of resistance of microbial pathogens to synthetic antibiotic as a result of its continuous usage. Findings, therefore, showed that the strategic supplementation of scent leaves meal as an alternative deworner to synthetic deworner that poses health risks to consumers could be avoided. Also, the need to adapt a collection and processing strategy at many locations wherever the scent leaf plant is produced and are poorly utilized or being wasted.