HAEMATOLOGY AND SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY OF BROILER CHICKENS FED SOAKED Balanites aegyptiaca FRUIT MEAL BASED DIETS WITH ACIDIFIER SUPPLEMENTATION

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the haematology and serum biochemistry of broiler chickens fed soaked Balanites aegyptiaca fruit meal (BAFM) based diets supplemented with acidifier (Fysal®). A total of one hundred and eight (108) day old Cobb-500 chicks were allocated to four isocaloric and isonitrogenous dietary treatments, each having three replicates of nine chickens. Raw BAFM was processed by soaking in water for 24 hours with 8 hourly change of the water. It was dried and ground before incorporation in the diets. The diets contained 0.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 % levels of BAFM while 0.1% organic acids was supplemented in the diets for treatments 2 to 4. Haematology and serum biochemistry were determined at the end of the finisher phase. Haematology and serum biochemistry of chickens in all treatment groups were within the normal range for healthy chickens. Hence, the study concluded that BAFM is healthy for broiler chickens as it did not show negative effects on the blood parameters.