Blood constituents of broiler chickens as affected by biscuit waste based diets

Abstract

An eight week feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of substituting maize with biscuit waste meal on the blood constituents of 144- day old Anak 2000 broiler chickens. Four experimental broiler starter and finisher diets were formulated with diet 1 serving as control to contain 0% Biscuit Waste Meal, while diets 2, 3 and 4 were formulated to contain BWM at 25, 50 and 75% inclusion levels for maize. The chicks were randomly assigned to the four treatment diets (1, 2, 3 and 4) in a completely randomized designed (CRD) and each treatment group contained three replicates with twelve chickens per replicate. Results on the blood constituents of broiler chickens fed treatment diets revealed that there is no significant (P>0.05) variation in the haematological indices assayed in this study. However, serum chemistry showed that total protein (3.13), albumin (1.30), and globulin (1.83x10mg/100ml) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in birds fed 75% BWM. Total bilirubin was highest (P<0.05) in birds fed diet 20.39x10mg/dl and least in control diet0.30x10mg/dl. Serum aspartate transaminase was higher (P<0.05) in birds that ate 25% BWM (76.67iu/g) though had values to 74.33 and 70.00iu/g in birds placed on diets 1 and 4, respectively. Serum alkaline phosphate 185.67 iu/g was also higher (P<0.05) in birds fed the control diet and least (182.33 iu/g) in birds placed on diet 4. From the overall results it is concluded that the inclusion of BWM in the diet of broiler chickens up to 50% improved the blood quality of broiler chickens.