Heamatologfical and Serum Biochemical Indices of Starter Broiler Chicks Fed Aqueous Extract of Balanites Aegyptiaca and Alchornea Cordifolia Bark Mixture

Abstract

A -28- day experiment was carried out to determine the hematological and some serum biochemical indices of starter broiler chicks fed aqueous extract of Balanites aegyptiaca and Alchornea cordifolia stem bark mixture (BACM). A total of two hundred and fifty (250) one-day old broiler chicks (Cobb) strain of mixed sex were randomly distributed into five treatments with 5 replicates, each replicates contained 10 birds each in a completely randomized design. Treatment 1 was fed basal diet + 0 % BACM (control), Treatment 2, 3, 4 and 5 were fed basal diet + 20, 40, 60 and 80 ml/liter BACM. Basal diet was formulated to meet the nutritional requirement of birds according to NRC (1994); feed and water was offered ad libitum and birds were vaccinated according to the prevailing disease condition in the environment. Result revealed that all the hematological parameters measured (PCV, ESR, Hb, RBC, WBC, leucocytes, monocytes, heterophils and eosinophils) were significantly (P˂0.05) different among the treatments. Albumin, globulin, total protein, cholesterol, urea, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, bicarbonate, ALP, ALT and AST were significantly (P˂0.05) influenced among the treatments. Glucose, creatinine, sodium and chloride were not significantly (P˃0.05) affected by BACM. It was concluded that BACM is rich in several bioactive chemicals and could be used as an alternative to antibiotics without causing any deleterious effect on the health status of an animal once it is included up to 50 ml/liter.