Haematology and Serum Biochemistry Evaluations of Broiler Chickens Inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis and Treated with Phyllanthus amarus Leaf extract

Abstract

A 21-day experiment was conducted to study the effects on haematology and serum biochemistry of broiler chickens inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and treated with methanol extract of Phyllanthus amarus leaf (PALM). A total of 60 Abor-Acre unsexed 5 week old broiler chickens were randomly allotted to four treatments including T₁ = Ordinary water (control), T₂ = SE inoculated (10⁷ CFU, PO), T₃ = SE inoculated + PALM (150 mg/kg) and T₄ = SE inoculated + Enrofloxacin (10 mg/kg). Each treatment was replicated thrice (n = 5) and the birds allotted to treatments in a completely randomized design. SE was inoculated at 5 weeks of age to T₂ – T₄. One hour prior to inoculation, T₃ and T₄ received PALM and enrofloxacin respectively which continued for another 4 days (ie 5 days in all). At the end of 3 weeks, one bird/replicate from T₁ – T₄ was randomly selected and 4 mL of blood aseptically drawn for haematological and biochemical analyses. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The haematological and biochemical values were not affected (p<0.05) except the monocytes where T₁ and T₂ were different (p>0.05) from T₃ and T₄ and ALP that significantly differed (p>0.05) from others. Meanwhile, PALM stabilized the parameters, particularly the liver enzymes in the event of negative effects due to SE inoculation.  It can therefore be concluded that PALM can be used to stabilize haematological and biochemical values in the event of negative alteration in quantities mainly due to microbial assault in broiler chickens.