EFFECT OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF VERNONIA AMYGDALINA LEAFMEAL, MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF MEAL AND MIXTURE OF VERNONIA AMYGDALINA AND MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF MEALS ON HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF BROILER CHICKEN

Abstract

This study assessed the effect of dietary supplementation of Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal, Moringa oleifera leaf meal and mixture of Vernonia amygdalina and Moringa oleifera leaf meals on haematological parameters of broiler chicken. A basal diet divided into four portions designated diet 1 (the control) and diets 2,3 and 4 supplemented with 0%, 0.2% of bitterleafmeal (BLM), 0.2% of moringa leafmeal (MLM) and 0.2% mixture of bitterleaf and moringa leafmeal, respectively. One hundred and forty four day old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to the four experimental diets (36birds per diet; 12 birds per replicate) replicated thrice using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) . All data collected in these studies were subjected to analysis of variance using SPSS. Duncan’s Multiple Range Test of one way ANOVA was used to analyse the mean differences of the same parameters.The haemoglobin (Hb), White Blood Cell (WBC) and lymphocytes were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the experimental diets while PCV, granulocyte, monocyte, MCHC, MCH, MCV and RBC were not influenced (P>0.05) by the experimental diets. The result of this study suggested that supplementation of BLM, MLM and mixture of bitter leafmeal and moringa leafmeal were effective in boosting the immune system of the birds and poses no danger to the health of the birds.