HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKENS FED FERMENTED CASTOR SEED MEAL

Abstract

The effects of fermented castor seed meal (FCSM) on haematological indices of broiler finisher chickens was evaluated in 29 days. A total of 300 broiler chicks (ROSS 308) strain were randomly allotted to five experimental diets using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated 4 times with 15 chicks each. Five experimental diets were formulated to be isocaloric (3000kcal/kg) and isonitrogenous (21% crude protein) for finisher chickens with FCSM levels of (0, 25, 50 75 and 100%). Birds were reared in a deep litter system for 4 weeks and fed with weighed amount of experimental diets and water given ad-libitum. Light and other standard routine management practices were strictly observed. The result showed significant (P<0.05) improvement in the level of packed cell volume (31.00, 33.00, 33.00, 38.50 and 35.50%) and haemoglobin (10.30, 11.05, 11.20, 13.30 and 11.60g/dl) as the level of fermented castor seed meal increases in the diets. Birds fed on 75%FCSM had higher values for PCV (38.50%) and HB (13.30g/dl) while birds on the control diets (0%FCSM) had the lower values PCV (31.00%) and HB (10.30g/dl). However, the values where within the normal range for broilers birds. Red blood cell (x1012/L), white blood cell (x109/L), mean cell volume (fl), mean cell haemoglobin (pg) and mean cell haemaglobin concentration (g/dl) values were not significantly (P>0.05) influence by the inclusion of fermented castor seed meal. It was concluded that fermented castor seed meal can replace soybean cake up to 100% in broiler diets without affecting haematological indices.