EFFECT OF STRAIN ON HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF PULLET CHICKENS FED VARYIED DIETARY LEVELS OF BITTER LEAF MEAL

Abstract

An eight-week experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of strain on haematological indices of pullet chickens. One hundred and forty (144) one-week pullet chicks (72 Isa brown and 72 FUNAAB Alpha) were procured and housed separately according to strain in deep litter system. Each strain was replicated nine (9) times with eight (8) birds per replicate. The birds were given pullet mash compounded at the farm’s mill with 20% crude protein and 2621 Kcal/kg metabolizable energy. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum while standard management practices were strictly observed. At the end of the eight weeks’ experimental period, blood samples were collected for haematological analysis. Data were analyzed using Fit Model of JMP Pro 15 to determine the effect of strain at 5 % level of probability. The results indicated that Hb had significant (p<0.05) difference among the two strains, while other haematological indices (PCV, RBC, MCV, MCH, MCHC and WBC) were not significantly (p>0.05) affected. This study concluded that FUNAAB alpha and Isa brown strains of chickens did not differ in their haematological indices measured except in haemoglobin where FUNAAB alpha had a higher mean value.