International Journal of Sciences: Basic and Applied Research
Abstract
A 56-days feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of Ocimiumm gratissimmum leaf meal on the haematological indices of broilers. The Ocimum gratissimmum leaves uses in the experiment were manually harvested, air-dried and milled to become Ocimum gratissimmum leaf meal. The Ocimum gratissimmum leaf meal was included in broiler starter to finisher diets at 0.50,100, and 150g levels respectively. One hundred and twenty unsexed day old broilers chicks Arbor acre broiler chicks were raised on self-compounded mash for eight were used. They were divided into 4 groups of 30 birds each and randomly assigned to the 4 experimental diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each group was sub-divided into 3 replicates of 10 birds each and each replicate housed in a cage fitted with necessary brooding facilities. Feed and water were given to them ad libitum for 8 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, blood was collected from the birds, 3 per treatment and analyzed for haematological incides. Haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PVC) of birds were not significantly reduced (P<0.05) but were within considerate range normal for birds. The haematological parameters obtained from this suggest that dietary inclusion of Ocimum gratissimmum leaf meal has no deleterious effects on the internal physiology of broiler
