International Journal of Modern Biological Research
ISSN: 2053-180X
Vol. 6(3), pp. 27-34, October 2018
doi.org/10.33500/ijmbr.2018.6.004

Performance, haematological and serum biochemical profile of broilers chicken fed diets supplemented with Ocimum gratissimum meal

Olumide Martha D.*, Chioma Gibson O., Ajayi Opeyemi A. and Akinboye Olufunso E.

Department of Agriculture and Industrial Technology, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.

*To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: olumidemartha@gmail.com, olumidemartha@yahoo.com.

Received 24 August, 2018; Received in revised form 24 September, 2018; Accepted 27 September, 2018.

Keywords:
Broiler, Ocimum gratissimum, Leaf meal, Performance characteristics, Serum biochemistry.

One hundred and fifty day old broiler chicks arbor acre strain were used in a seven weeks experiment to determine the effect of different levels of supplementations (0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 g per 100 kg) of Ocimum gratissimum leaf meal on the performance, haematology and serum biochemical profile of broiler chicken. The birds were divided into five dietary treatments. Each treatment was replicated trice with thirty birds per treatment in a completely randomized design. Data were obtained on the performance parameters such as body weight, feed intake, while feed conversion ratio and livability was calculated. Blood samples were collected for hematology and serum biochemistry. The result of the performance characteristics showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05) in the body weight and average feed intake of the birds, the values obtained ranged from 1904.40 – 2281.90 g and 4502.67 – 5033.54 g, respectively. The feed conversion ratio value ranged from 2.17 – 2.36. The result obtained for livability showed that there was significant difference (P<0.05) in the livability of birds on the control diet (80%) and those fed diet containing 400 g O. gratissimum (100%). Significant differences were observed in the values of packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), heterocytes, hemoglobin, cholesterol, glucose, aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase. Hence inclusion of O. gratissimum in broilers diet at 300 gm/100 kg of feed in broilers gave the best result in terms of broilers health. It was concluded that the inclusion of O. gratissimum in the diets of broiler chicken has no detrimental effect on performance characteristics but improved the livability of the birds.

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