Feeding Graded Levels of Wild Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia Hemsl. A. Gray) Meal in Replacement of Maize at Pre-pubertal Age, Negatively Impacts on Growth and Morphormetric Characteristics of the Genitalia of Anak 2000 Broiler Cocks at Their Pubertal Age

An eighteen-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding graded levels of Wild Sunflower Forage Meal (WSFM) in isoproteinous diets on the growth and reproductive characteristics of Anak 2000 broiler cocks at puberty. Two hundred and forty day-old broiler cock chicks were randomly allocated to six dietary treatment groups of five replicates each, to make forty chicks per group. They were fed rations containing WSFM at 0 (control), 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% inclusion levels in a complete randomized design experiment. The morphometric characteristics of the genitalia were studied from eight cocks per treatmental group slaughtered at the pubertal age of 18 weeks. Live and carcass weights were significantly reduced by WSFM inclusion levels above 10% in the ration. Dressing percentage, relative gizzard and heart weights were independent of WSFM inclusion in the diets whereas relative liver weight was observed to show a significant (p<0.05) decrease. The inclusion of WSFM had a significant (p<0.05) depressing effect on testes parenchyma weight, testes width and volume. There were significant correlations of live weight and testes weight with testes width, length and parenchyma weight as well as tunica albuginae weight, while the correlation of testes density with other morphometric characteristics studied was low, negative and non-significant. It was concluded that not greater than 10% WSFM could be included in the prepubertal broiler ration to substitute maize without any adverse effect on growth and body weight. However, the male reproductive organ characteristics could be negatively affected even at this inclusion level hence WSFM is not recommended on a poultry breeding station.