An 8week study was conducted to evaluate the effects of hyphaene thebaica seed meal (HTSM) as substitute for maize on haematological and serum biochemical parameters of broiler chickens.
Five experimental diets were formulated to meet nutrient requirement standards of broilers (NRC, 1994). Diet 1 (0 % HTSM) served as the control while diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 contained 5, 10, 15 and 20 % HTSM respectively replacing maize in the diets of birds. A total of two hundred and twenty five (225) day-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted into five treatment groups with three replicates of fifteen birds each. Each group was assigned to the five experimental diets in completely randomized design (CRD). Throughout the experimental period, feed and water were provided ad libitum for all treatment groups. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the haematological parameters measured except the packed cell volume (29.08- 31.89 %) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (14.69-15.67 pg). The white blood cell (11.45-18.14 x 109/l), red blood cell (4.71-6.99 x 1012/l), haemoglobin (6.92-10.05 g/dl) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (23.80-34.34 %) increased (p<0.05) in response to the increased level of HTSM in the diet. The results of the serum biochemical indices of broiler chickens fed HTSM diet revealed that the glucose level (6.82-9.00 mmol/l), globulin (6.78-10.10 g/l), aspartate transaminase (72.95-90.16 iu/l), alanine aminotransaminase (62.84-79.50 iu/l) and alkaline phosphatase (100.26-108.77 iu/l) increased (p<0.05) as the dietary levels of HTSM increased across the treatments while the total protein (31.83-29.11 g/l) and albumin (25.05-19.01 g/l) significantly decreased (P<0.05) as the level of HTSM increased in the diets. The serum cholesterol and urea were however not significant (P>0.05). It was concluded that HTSM has a high potential as feed ingredient in broiler diets and adequate processing of the seed to reduce the anti-nutritional factors to a tolerable level before being used in broiler diet was recommended.
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