Effects Of Mealed Eucommia Ulmoedes Oliver Leaves On Performance Of Chickens

Broiler Chickens and Xuefeng Black-bone Chickens were used for examining the effects of Eucommia ulmoedes oliver leaves as a feed additive on their performance. Mealed Eucommia ulmoedes oliver leaves were added to a basal diet at 0% (control),0.5%,1.0%,1.5% and 2.0%. At the end of the 60-day and 90-day feeding trial, daily weight gains, feed efficiency (feed /gains), carcass characters (breast and thigh muscle ratios and abdominal fat ratios) and blood parameters were measured. The results indicated that feed efficiency but not weight gains was improved by added Eucommia ulmoedes oliver leaves. Dressing percentages were not affected, but breast and thigh muscle ratios were increased, and abdominal fat ratios, serum triglyceride and low density lipoprotein were decreased. In conclusion, addition of Eucommia ulmoedes oliver leaves improved feed efficiency, carcass quality and blood parameters in Chickens, thus Eucommia ulmoedes oliver leaves could be used as a feed additive to enhance performance of chickens, and the best percentage of the adition is 1.0%-l .5%.