Effect of <i>Moringa oleifera</i> supplementation on oxidative stress biomarkers during infectious Bursal Disease Virus infection in broiler chickens

Abstract

This study was designed to assess the effect of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) on oxidative stress biomarkers in broiler chickens fed Moringa oleifera leaf (MOL)supplemented feed. Two hundred- and forty-day-old Ross 308 hybrid broiler chicks were randomly assigned into groups A, B, C and D of 60 chicks each. The chicks were raised on deep litter housing. Broiler starter (BS) and broiler finisher (BF) mash were formulated for broilers in groups A and B each with 5% MOL supplemented
as part of the feed. while BS and BF were formulated without MOL for broilers in groups C and D. Broiler chickens in groups A, B and C were challenged with 0.05 ml of a live vvIBDV at 35 days of age, whereas those in group D served as controls. At days 35, 38, 42 and 49 of age, blood was collected from 10 broilers in each group via the wing vein to determine serum concentration of Catalase (CAT), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Superoxidase dismutase (SOD) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) using an Audio comb Serum Auto-analyser. There was a significant increase in the concentration of CAT (P=0.0125) and GPx (P=0.0190), in broilers of group A at 38 days of age when compared with the control (group D). While the concentration of MDA increased significantly in broilers of group A (P=0.0004) at 42 days of age when compared with the control. Moringa oleifera leaf supplementation in the feed of broilers is shown to potentiate the antioxidant activities of CAT, GPx and MDA during infection with infectious bursal disease virus.