MITIGATING HYDROCARBON-INDUCED HAEMATOLOGICAL AND INFLAMMATORY STRESS IN CHICKENS USING AQUEOUS GINGER EXTRACT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY ACROSS THREE BREEDS

Abstract

This study investigated the impact on haematological response due to hydrocarbon exposure and the mitigating effects of ginger aqueous extract (GAE) supplementation in three chicken breeds: FUNAAB Alpha (FAC), Agrited broilers (RB) and Nigerian light local chicken ecotype (NDC). Using a 3 x 3 factorial design, 60 birds per breed were assigned to three treatment groups: T1(control, no pollutant exposure or GAE), T2 (pollutant exposure without GAE), and T3 (pollutant exposure with GAE at 14mL/L water). The birds were exposed to crude oil fumes on alternate days for five weeks. Pollutant exposure (T2) significantly reduced packed cell volume, haemoglobin, and red blood cell counts, while increasing erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white blood cell counts, platelets, heterocyte-lymphocyte ratios and interleukin-6 levels (p<0.05). Supplementation with GAE (T3) effectively alleviated these adverse effects. Although breed-specific variations in most haematological indices were non-existent, NDC showed higher interleukin-6 levels (p<0.05) indicating a heightened inflammatory response. RB and NDC exhibited greater resilience to pollutant stress compared to FAC; however, FAC response was greatly enhanced in T3. Supplementation with GAE effectively mitigated the adverse haematological and inflammatory effects induced by hydrocarbon exposure in chickens, with breed specific responses influencing resilience under the polluted conditions.