Synergy of Moringa oleifera, L-arginine, and Vitamin C enhances performance and cardio-pulmonary morphometry of the broiler chicken

The study aimed to investigate if dietary supplementation of Moringa oleifera and L-arginine + Vitamin C blend resulted in synergistic effects on growth performance and cardiopulmonary morphometry in broiler chickens. A total of 288, Ross-308 day-old unsexed broiler chicks were randomly distributed into four dietary treatment groups using a two-way ANOVA under 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The body weight (BW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass characteristics, cardio-pulmonary morphometric measurements, hemato-biochemical parameters, and the occurrence of tachycardia and polycythemia, were assessed over a typical period of 35 d. Supplementation of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) increased 3.64% BW (P < 0.001), 3.72% ADG (P < 0.001) and improved 3.16% FCR (P < 0.001) while decreased 20.0% heart weight (P = 0.047), 18.52% left ventricular weight (P = 0.040), 18.18% total ventricular weight (P = 0.032) and 3.48% heartbeat per minute (P = 0.033). Accordingly, L-arginine + Vitamin C (LAC) blend increased 6.64% BW (P < 0.001), 2.12% ADFI (P = 0.037), 6.77% ADG (P < 0.001) and improved 4.40% FCR (P < 0.001) while decreased 26.32% thickness of the right ventricle (P = 0.034). The MOLM and LAC additively interacted to increase 10.58% BW (P = 0.015), 3.92% lung weight (P = 0.011) and 16.95% abdominal fat weight (P = 0.041). Increasing levels of LAC further enhanced blood hemoglobin and packed cell volume. It was concluded that MOLM and LAC synergistically increased performance parameter and improved cardio-pulmonary morphometry by reducing the incidence of tachycardia and polycythemia in broiler chickens.