Effect of Feeding Different Levels of Terminalia Arjuna Stem Bark Extract on The Hematological and Serum Biochemical Parameters of Guinea Fowl

A total of 300 one-day old guinea fowl chicks of mixed sex (Lavender variety) were randomly assigned to five treatments with six replicates per treatment and ten birds per cage. The control group (treatment 1) received a standard basal diet while the others (treatment 2, 3, 4 and 5) were fed same diet supplemented with varying doses of Terminalia arjuna stem bark extract at 5.0 mL, 10.0 mL, 15.0 mL and 20.0 mL per liter of water. The standard basal diet used in this experiment was corn-soya based meal which was in line with the Nutritional Research Council’s requirement in 1994. They had free access to fresh clean water and feed and the experiment lasted for 90 days. Screening of phyto-components in Terminalia arjuna stem bark extract revealed the presence of phenols, flavonoids and triterpenoids in significant concentration while alkaloids, tannins and glycosides were the other compounds. Haemoglobin, hematocrit, total erythrocytes, total leucocytes, total platelet count, mean platelet count, eosinophils and lymphocytes values were influenced (pË‚0.05) by the treatment except for basophil count (p˃0.05). Total protein, glucose, cholesterol, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride values were affected (pË‚0.05) except for creatinine, urea and activities of alanine transaminase, aspartate amino transferase and alkaline phosphatase. However, all values obtained were within the normal reference range for a healthy guinea fowl suggesting that birds can be fed Terminalia arjuna stem bark extract up to 20.0 mL per liter without compromising their health status.