Nutritional assessment of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf hay in broilers - doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v33i4.10679

• Main Author: Dorigan, Claudia Josefina
• Publication Date: 2011
• Other Authors: Resende, Kleber Tomaz de, Alessi, Antonio Carlos, Malheiros, Euclides Braga, Sakomura, Nilva Kazue
• Format: Article
• Language: por
• Source: Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences (Online)
• Download full: https://periodicos.uem.br/ojs/index.php/ActaSciAnimSci/article/view/10679
• topic: performance; broiler chicken; histopatological analysis; desempenho; frangos de corte; análise histopatológica

The trial was carried to evaluate the nutritional effects of mulberry leaf hay in broiler chickens. Five treatments were used: control (no mulberry, 3.16% CF); 15% mulberry (4.14% CF); 30% mulberry (5.09% CF), no mulberry (4.14% CF); no mulberry (5.09% CF). A randomized blocks design was used, with two blocks and three replications into the blocks to evaluate performance index, histopathological examination of the visceral organs and morphometric measurements of the hepatocyte nucleus and pancreatic acini. A poor performance index was observed for broilers feeding on mulberry leaves; lesions such as steatosis, proliferation of hepatic duct cells and multiple necrosis were found in the livers of the chickens fed with 30% mulberry (5.09% CF), as well as size reduction of the hepatocyte nucleus and pancreatic acini. From these data, it is concluded that mulberry probably has some toxic substance which can interfere in the improvement of diet ingredients, resulting in damage to broiler chickens.