Dietary effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal on growth performance, blood lipids, and haematological parameters in broiler chickens: a meta‑analysis

SUMMARY: Due to its nutritional and medicinal benefits, Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) is now widely considered in broiler chicken feed. This innovative feedstuff source originates from tropical plants and can positively affect poultry performance, although their effectiveness has been inconsistent. Hence, the primary objective of this meta-analysis was to assess the impact of MOLM on the growth performance, blood lipids, and haematological profiles of broiler chickens. Thirty-two articles published between 1965 and 2024 and retrieved from Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, DOAJ, and Google Scholar were used for the analysis. Predefined protocols were used at all stages of the systematic review process. To quantify the standardised means difference (SMD) at a 95 confidence interval, the impact size of dietary MOLM treatments was estimated using random-effects models. The results showed significant improvement in average daily gain (SMD = 1.15; p < 0.05), haemoglobin (SMD = 2.61; p < 0.01), and red blood cells (SMD = 2.34; p < 0.01). Results revealed that dietary MOLM decreased feed conversion ratio (SMD = −2.09; p < 0.01), blood cholesterol (SMD = −5.30; p < 0.01), low-density lipoprotein (SMD = −10.45; p < 0.05). On the other hand, feed intake (SMD = −0.66; p > 0.05), blood triglycerides (SMD = −0.22; p > 0.05), high-density lipoprotein (SMD = −2.19; p > 0.05), white blood cells (SMD = 0.08; p > 0.05) were not statistically different from controls. Through the 32 studies included, we concluded that MOLM affects growth performance, blood lipids, and haematological parameters. However, based on sub-group analysis, we recommend using MOLM doses at a maximum level of 5 in the broiler diet, which shows the most optimal growth performance improvement in broilers without exerting adverse influence. © 2024 World’s Poultry Science Association.