Nutritional potential of raw or parboiled Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) leaves as feedstuff for finishing broilers

Abstract A study was conducted using ninety finishing broiler chickens to determine the nutritional potentials of air-dried fresh and parboiled air-dried siam (Chromolaena odorata) leaves harvested lush green. The first set of leaves was air-dried with minimal sun rays and designated as fresh air-dried Chromolaena odorata leaves (FADCOL). The second set of leaves was parboiled for 10 minutes at 80oC before air-drying with minimal sun rays and was designated as parboiled air-dried Chromolaena odorata leaves (PADCOL). Both sets of processed leaves were subjected to proximate analyses. A standard broiler finisher diet formulated was used as the control dietary treatment. In the second and third treatments, 20% of the standard broiler finisher diet was replaced by FADCOL and PADCOL, respectively. Each treatment group was replicated in three places of ten broiler chickens. Nutrient retention trials were carried out using total collection method. Results showed that parboiled air-dried Chromolaena odorata leaves had numerically higher crude fat and fibre contents but lower crude protein and total ash content than the fresh samples. There were no significant differences in crude protein, crude fibre and total ash retentions among finishing broilers fed various test diets (p > 0.05). However, the dry matter and crude fat retentions were significantly influenced by dietary treatments (p < 0.05). With the comparable crude protein retention, it was concluded that Chromolaena odorata leaves, whether air dried as harvested or parboiled before air drying, had the potential for supporting growth in finishing broilers.