EFFECTS OF FEEDING TOASTED SICKLE POD (SENNA OBTUSIFOLIA) SEED MEAL ON HAEMATOLOGICAL AND SERUM BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF BROILER CHICKENS

A feeding trial was conducted for eight (8) weeks to evaluate the haematological and biochemical indices of broiler chickens fed processed or toasted tropical sickle pod (Senna obtusifolia) seed meal-based diets. five (5) experimental diets were compounded to contain 0% 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of toasted Senna obtusifolia seed meal designated as T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. One hundred and fifty (150) broiler chicks were randomly allotted to the five (5) dietary treatment in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated three times with ten (10) chicks per replicate. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected using standard procedure. Each representative blood sample was analysed in triplicates for Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), Red Blood Cell (RBC), and White Blood Cell Count (WBC). The serum biochemical indices (Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) were computed using standard formula. The blood samples were also analysed for serum total protein, albumin, uric acid, and cholesterol. The haematological parameters were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the dietary treatments for the Hb, RBC, MCH, and MCHCThe result of the haematological indices indicates that there were not significant (P>0.05) difference in any of the haematological parameters measured. This implies that place of nutrition was adequate to meet the requirement of all the groups. The Packed Cell Volume (PCV) of 33.73 to 42.16% and haemoglobin concentration (10.56 to 13.53g/dl) values obtained in this study. Similarly, the RBC and WBC values were within the normal range for growing broiler chickens reported by Wikivet (2013). The values of Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) are 64.66 to 72.73fl, 20.83 to 23.03pg and 28.73 to 32.63% respectively, were not significant (P>0.05) all within the normal range for broilers.