EFFECT OF DIFFERENTLY PROCESSED DOUM PALM (HYPHAENE THEBAICA) PULP ON HEAMATO-BIOCHEMICAL INDICES OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

A study on Effect of Differently Processed Doum palm (Hyphaene thebaica) pulp on haematology and serum biochemical indices of broiler chicken was conducted. In a completely randomized design one hundred and fifty (150) day- old broiler chicks (Agritec) were randomly allocated to five dietary treatment groups of thirty (30) chicks with three replicates of ten chicks each. The treatment groups were labeled as T1 (0%), T2, (raw) T3 (soaked), T4 (boiled) and T5 (roasted).Two birds from each treatment were selected at random for Heamatology and serum biochemical analysis. The results indicated that, red blood cells (RBC), mean corpuscular (MCHC) and neutrophils were significantly (p<0.05) affected while the remaining parameters were not significantly (p>0.05) affected. RBC in T1 was significantly higher (5.05x1012/l) and statistically (p<0.05) difference with T3. MCHC showed T3 was significantly (p<0.05) higher and similar with all the treatments except T1. The results on serum biochemical analysis revealed significance (p<0.05) difference in the values of potassium and total protein while the remaining parameters were not significantly (p>0.05) affected. Potassium content in T5 showed significantly (p<0.05) higher value (4.20Mmol/L) and similar with all the treatment except T4. However, total protein content was higher (4.1g/dl) in T2 and statistically (p<0.05) similar with the remaining treatments except T4. Therefore, raw and differently processed doum palm pulp meal can be used without any adverse effect on the haematology and serum biochemistry of the broiler chicken as observed in this study.