HAEMATOLOGY AND SERUM BIOCHEMICAL INDICES OF BROILER CHICKENS FED TURMERIC RHIZOME POWDER

Abstract

This study was aimed to explore the ability of turmeric rhizome powder (TRP) to impact the blood haematological and biochemical composition of broiler chickens. A total of 120 ROSS 308 strains of unsexed broiler chicken were used for the study which lasted for a period of 8 weeks. The study was made up of four treatments including control. The three other groups were treated with 200g, 400g and 600g supplementation of TRP in the broiler diets. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of haematology and serum biochemical indices. The result from this analysis showed that the dietary
treatment with TRP had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the haematological parameters including RBC, PCV haemoglobin, platelet, MCH, MCHC as well as the ser um biochemical indices including serum lipids (HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL, and total cholesterol) and the serum proteins (total proteins and globulin). The RBC, PCV and Haemoglobin counts of all the treated groups were significantly different (p<0.05) from the control but the highest was recorded in the group fed 200g of TRP
(4.37x106/ul, 39.33%, and 13.93g/dL respectively), while the two other treatments were significantly lower than the control (3.95x106/ul, 35.67% and 13.13g/dL). However, the values were within the range for a normal broiler chicken. The reduction of the lipid composition of the serum also confirms the anticholesteremic effect of turmeric rhizome powder. This study therefore supports the supplementation of broiler diets with TRP and recommends 200g as the optimal level for supplementation in 100kg of broiler diets.