Influence of mistletoe (Viscum album) leaf meal on growth performance, carcass characteristics and biochemical profile of broiler chickens

The quest for alternatives to antibiotics has resulted in the discovery of prebiotics. The search for the alterative antibiotics is on-going. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate possible prebiotic potentials inherent in mistletoe (Viscum album) leaf meal with the aim of developing prebiotics as an alternative to antibiotics thus optimizing animal performance, carcass characteristics and a healthy blood profile as indicators of systemic conditions. Five experimental diets were formulated and mistletoe leaf meal (AMLM) was incorporated into the diets at different concentrations (0% with 0.05% antibiotics (positive control), 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% without antibiotics (negative control)). The values of body weight were not significantly different across the treatments. Live weight, bled weight, wings, drumsticks, thighs, breasts and heads were not significantly different across the treatments. Aspartate aminotransferase, globulin and creatinine contents were not significantly different across the treatments. Meanwhile, birds on AMLM-supplemented diets obtained significantly (p < 0.05) higher values of alanine aminotransferase than those on negative control diet (3.75 IU/l). Urea anood glucose contents followed a similar patotern. The AMLM could be used as alternative antibiotics in broiler production, although further studies are required to ascertain this