PAWPAW (CARICA PAPAYA LINN.) LEAF MEAL IN BROILER NUTRITION: EFFECTS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS TRAITS, BLOOD INDICES, AND PRODUCTION ECONOMICS

Abstract

This review examines the existing body of research on inclusion of pawpaw leaf meal (PLM) in broiler diets and highlights its potential as a sustainable alternative feed resource. PLM contains appreciable levels of crude protein (17.30–30.12%), crude fibre, micronutrients (minerals and vitamins), and various phytochemicals, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids and proteolytic enzymes (papain and chymopapains) which are known to have both nutritional and medicinal benefits in poultry. These attributes suggest that PLM may serve as a useful feed resource or supplement in poultry production. Studies demonstrate that low inclusion levels of PLM can improve broiler growth performance, while reducing feed costs and improving gross margins, without any adverse effects on internal organ weights, carcass traits, meat quality, or key health parameters. Multi-enzymes supplementation further allows for a moderate increase in the amount of PLM that can incorporated into broiler diets without compromising growth performance. However, higher dietary inclusions tend to reduce growth performance, an effect possibly attributed to the presence of antinutritional factors (ANFs) such as alkaloids and tannins. The reviewed literature suggests that broiler responses to PLM are inconsistent and can be influence by factors such as processing techniques, broiler genetics, basal diet composition, and inclusion levels of PLM. In conclusion, this narrative review indicate that PLM can be moderately increased in broiler diets when combined with a multi-enzyme supplementation. Therefore, this narrative review underscores the need for future studies to determine the optimal PLM - multienzyme combinations and to evaluate their effects on broiler growth performance and health indices across different production systems.