ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE January 2026 47 DIET PREPARATION AND TREATMENT FORMULATION Freshly picked kalo leaves were separated from their veins and dried in a shaded environment for four days. The dried leaves were then ground into a fine powder using a stainless steel hammer mill (1.6 mm particle size) and stored in a cool, dry place for later use in feed formulations. Four dietary treatments were prepared, incorporating kalo leaf meal at 0%, 3%, 5%, and 7% levels to replace soybean meal as a protein source in broiler diets. The feed formulation included maize (Zea mays), noug seed (Guizotia abyssinica) cake, wheat middlings (Triticum sp.), soybean cake (Glycine max), vitamin premix, salt, limestone, methionine, and lysine to meet the chickens' nutrient requirements (Temesgen et al., 2017). RESULTS Statistical analysis demonstrated that incorporating kalo leaf meal significantly (P < 0.01) affected the digestibility of crude protein. The results showed improved growth performance, particularly at higher inclusion rates (5% and 7%). Temesgen et al. (2017) also found that chickens fed higher levels of kalo leaf meal (5% and 7%) had breast muscles with superior nutrient composition, higher protein, lower crude fiber, and enhanced vitamin C content compared to those fed lower levels. ANTI-NUTRITIONAL FACTORS Despite its benefits, kalo leaves contain some anti-nutritional compounds, including: • Oxalate: Binds to minerals, reducing bioavailability. • Tannin: Interferes with protein digestion and nutrient absorption. • Phytate: Binds essential minerals, decreasing absorption efficiency. However, the levels of these compounds in kalo leaves are relatively low and do not significantly impact feed intake or nutrient utilization in chickens. Anti-nutritional factors can be mitigated by processing methods such as drying, heating, or fermentation before feeding to poultry according to Suwitari et al. (2022). CONCLUSION Kalo leaves present a promising alternative feed ingredient for poultry, offering high protein content, essential vitamins, and improved digestibility. Studies indicate that incorporating kalo leaf meal at levels of 5% to 7% in broiler diets enhances growth performance, nutrient composition, and cost efficiency. While kalo leaves contain some anti-nutritional factors, proper processing methods Dry feed intake (grams/bird) Initial body weight (grams/bird) Final body weight (grams/bird) Body weight change (grams/bird) Average daily growth (grams/bird) Protein content (%) Digestibility (%) 76.33 43.5 1106 1062.5 18.89 21.3 99.6 74.25 42.95 1010.63 967.68 18.66 21.27 99.62 82.17 42.25 1279.65 1237.40 25.28 21.62 99.64 79.19 40.56 1324.50 1283.94 29.53 21.77 99.68 Parameters 0% kalo leaf 3% kalo leaf 5% kalo leaf 7% kalo leaf
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