Effect of Partial Replacement of <em>Chromolaena Odorata</em> for Soybean on the Hematological and Serum Chemistry of Laying Birds

Abstract

Sixty point-of-lay pullets were used in a 56-day feeding trial to assess the effect of varying dietary inclusion levels of Chromolaena odorata leaf meal (COLM) on the hematology and serum biochemistry of laying birds. The birds (Nira black layer stain), were shared into four groups of 15 each and each group fed a diet containing 0, 5, 10 or 15% COLM respectively and replicated thrice in a completely randomized design. Feeding and watering were ad libitum. Results showed that most hematological and serum biochemistry indices were influenced by varying levels of COLM indicating significant differences (p<0.05) between treatment means. However, serum albumin (23.03, 23.46, 23.26, 23.36 g/dl) of birds fed 0, 5, 10 and 15% COLM did not show any regular trend. Therefore the variations could not be attributed to diet effects. Other parameters increased in values with increasing levels of COLM. There were no observable deleterious effects on the hematological and biochemical indices hence, no mortality was recorded.

Keywords: Poultry, Chromolaena odorata, soybean, hematology, serum, layer birds