EFFECTS OF FEEDING RATIONS WITH VARYING LEVELS OF ALFALFA (MEDICAGO SATIVA L) MEAL ON BROILER PERFORMANCE AND SOME INTERNAL ORGANS CHARACTERISTICS

This study was conducted with the objective of studying the effect of adding four levels of alfalfa plant powder on the performance of broiler chicks and on the weights of the carcass cuts (thighs, wings, and chest, Neck and back) and on the characteristics of some of the internal organs (intestine, cecum, liver, fat and heart). Sixty, un-sexed broiler chicks of the (Ross) strain were used in this study. They were randomly distributed into four treatments with three replicates of five birds provided with water and food continuously. The experiment was designed as a complete random design. By adding four different levels of alfalfa powder (0, 1, 2 and 3%), the diets were prepared to meet all the needs of broiler chickens according to (NRC, 1994), which are approximately equal in protein and energy content. The experiment lasted for five weeks. The birds and the feed consumed were weighed weekly, measuring weight gain and conversion ratio. One chicken was randomly selected from each replicate at the end of the fifth week (three chickens for each treatment), slaughtered. The intestines and caecum were measured; liver weight, abdominal fat and heart were weighed as well as the wings, thighs, chest’s and necks. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance and differences between the parameters were analyzed via analysis of variance and differences among means were detected using the Least Significant Difference Test (LSD). The results showed that the addition of alfalfa plant powder had no significant effect (P> 0.05) on the conversion efficiency, and the ratios were 1.39 for group (I), 1.32 (II), 1.56 (III), and 1.37 (IV). Similarly no differences were detected for the carcass parts and the internal viscera. The addition showed a significant effect (P <0.01) on the total amount of feed consumed, especially in the second week, and the final feed consumer was 2684.5, 2223.4, 2380.3 and 2514 g / bird, respectively. The weight gain was 1925, 1686, 1546 and 1830 g / bird, respectively. The carcass weight was 1435, 1258, 1140 and 1381 g/bird, respectively. The dressing percentage is 0.7240, 0.7183, 0.7060 and 0.7240%, respectively. The feed consumption rate was high for the control diet, but in the fifth week the feed consumption rate was higher in the group consuming the fodder containing 3% of alfalfa powder. The study concluded that the addition of alfalfa powder in the diets of broiler chickens led to a decrease in the consumption of feed without affecting the growth rate. The consumption increased in the final phase with an increase in the weight gained. The study recommends further research to know the effect of adding alfalfa powder on the performance of chicks and meat quality.