ORGANS REACTION TO INTAKE OF MANSONIA ALTISSIMA IN LAYING HENS AND COCKS

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to study the effect of intake of Mansonia altissima in the feed of laying hens and cocks with respect to the testis, ovary, liver and spleen. A tota of 45 birds consisting of 36 Isa-Brown layers and 9 cocks were completely randomized into three treatments. A, B and C, which contained 0, 30 and 50g/kg, pulverized M. altissima bark meal, respectively. Each treatment was replicated thrice and each replicate contained 5 birds consisting of 4 females and 1 male. Results showed enlargement and hyperemia of the testis, severe congestion of the ovaries and venous congestion of the live. However, the spleen appeared normal in both the control and treatment groups. Furthermore, the result showed that there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the level of egg production between treatment group with group C (50g/kg/feed) laying the highest number of eggs. It was therefore concluded that 50g/kg/feed of M. altissima can be used as an egg booster.