Blood Profile of Finisher Broiler Chickens Fed Diet Containing Leaf Meal Composite as Alternative To Commercial Broiler Premix
Abstract
The need to explore and harness the potentials of green vegetable plants as part replacements for the more expensive conventional vitamin-mineral premix is of great importance. One hundred and eighty (180) starter broiler chickens were used in a four weeks experiment to determine the effect of varying levels of Leaf Meal Composite (LMC) as an alternative to vitamin-mineral premix using Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin), Vernonia amygdalina, (Bitter leaf), Piper guinenses (Uziza) and Ipomea batata (Sweet patato) on the haematology and serum biochemical profile of Starter broiler chickens. The chicks were allocated to six dietary treatments, each having thirty birds, replicated thrice with ten birds per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design. The birds were fed formulated diet, the test materials were ground into meal and was introduced from the first day, feed and water were provided ad libitum The composite leaf meal inclusion level was at 0.00 (0.25% premix), 0.125 (0.125% premix), 0.63 (0.0% premix), 0.125 (0.0% premix), 0.188 (0.0% premix) and 0.25% (0.0% premix) at the expense of a commercial premix and designated diets T1, T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 respectively, with T1 as the control. Data was obtained for analysis. The result reveals that the LMC was not toxic to the birds, had superior disease fighting ability and not anaemic. All the treatment levels were significant for mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Aspartate amino transferase (AST) and Alkaline phosphatase ALP reduced with increasing concentration of LMC, the test material was not toxic to the liver. Total Globulin and Glucose level reduced with increasing concentration of LMC. Leaf meal is effective in reducing fat deposition. Therefore, LMC had no detrimental effect on the haematology and serum biochemical profile of starter broiler chicken and can be used to replace commercial vitamin-mineral premix.
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