HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF BROILER CHICKENS FED TURMERIC (Curcuma longa) RHIZOME POWDER, DRIED OKRA (Abelmoschus esculentus) FRUIT POWDER AND THEIR COMBINATION

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the haematological indices of broiler chickens fed Turmeric (curcuma longa) Rhizome Powder (TRP) and Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) Fruit powder (OFP). A total of 120 birds were allotted to four dietary treatments and fed diets containing 0g TRP and OFP; 400g OFP; 400g TRP; 200g TRP plus 200g OFP and were assigned as T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. The birds were housed in a deep litter house for 7 weeks. Feed and clean water were supplied ad libitum. Vaccination and other standard management practices were strictly adhered to accordingly. Blood samples were collected at the 7th week for haematological studies. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant differences between treatment means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. The result showed significant (p<0.05) differences in Heterophils (H) and Lymphocytes (L) while Packed cell volume (PCV), haemaglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cells (WBC) count, Monocytes (M) and Eosinophils (E) showed no significant (p>0.05) difference. This implies that the birds in all treatment groups had similar circulation of oxygen. The observed result implies that the birds in all treatment groups had high tendency to resist respiratory stress, this is because, the Haemoglobin (Hb), which is carried on the Red Blood Cell, is the oxygen (O2) carrying pigment. It was concluded that TRP increased heterophils while combining TRP and OFP increased lymphocyte.