EFFECT OF NUTRIENT RESTRICTION AT THE STARTER PHASE ON HAEMATOLOGICAL AND SERUM BIOCHEMICAL INDICES OF FINISHER BROILERS

Abstract

A 9-week experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding low-quality diet at the starter phase on blood profile of finisher broilers. Day-old broiler chicks (80) of Anak strain were randomly distributed into two groups, I and 2, using completely randomized design. Each group was replicated 4 times with 10 broiler chicks per replicate and each replicate housed in a 1.5m x 2m pen. Broilers in group I were given a standard broiler diet for 4weeks and then placed on standard broiler finisher diet for the next Sweeks, while broilers in group 2 received a low quality diet based mainly on palm kernel cake and wheat offal for the first 4weeks and then placed on standard broiler finisher diet for the remaining 5weeks of trial. Blood samples were collected at the end of the trial from 3 birds per replicate for haematological and serum biochemical studies. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis using t-test as outlined by Snedecor and Cochran (1978). The exception of haemoglobin (HB), red blood cells (RBC) and platelets which were significantly (P<0.05) different, other haematological indices were similar (P>0.05). Similarly, with the exception of albumin, globulin, AST andALP which were significantly (P<0.05) different, there were no significant differences in the serum biochemical indices (P>0.05) measured. Feeding poor quality cheap diet at broiler starter phase does not adversely affect blood profile of finisher broilers.