Metabolizable Energy and Metabolizability Coefficients of Moringa and Bocaiuva for Slow-Growing Broilers at Different Ages

This study aimed to determine nutrient metabolizability coefficients and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) values of moringa leaf meal and bocaiuva pulp for slow-growing broilers. Three hundred and fifty 1-day-old chicks of the Red Naked Neck line were allocated to five treatments in a completely randomized design with seven replicates of 10 birds. Treatments consisted of a control diet and four test diets. The proportion of ingredients evaluated in the test diets was 20% moringa leaf meal and bocaiuva pulp and 40% corn and soybean meal. The total excreta collection method was applied with 1% ferric oxide included in the diets as a marker of start and end of collection, in the starter, grower and finisher phases. The metabolizability coefficients of dry matter, crude protein and ether extract and the AME and AMEn values of moringa leaf meal, bocaiuva pulp, corn and soybean meal were determined. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared by Tukey’s test at the 5% probability level. The protein from moringa leaf meal and the fat from bocaiuva pulp are highly metabolizable by birds at different ages. The AME and AMEn values of moringa leaf meal ranged from 2557 to 2868 Kcal/kg and 2205 to 2479 Kcal/kg, respectively. In bocaiuva pulp, AME and AMen ranged between 2680 and 3119 Kcal/kg and 2483 and 2490 Kcal/kg, respectively. Therefore, the alternative ingredients can be used in the formulation of diets for slow-growing broilers to partially replace corn and soybean meal.