Effects of substituting groundnut cake with ammoniated full-fat neem kernel meal on haematobiochemical components of broilers

Abstract

Effects of substituting groundnut cake (GNC) with ammoniated full-fat neem kernel meal (AFFNKM) on heamatobiochemical components of broiler chickens were investigated in the semi-arid zone of Nigeria. Eighty-day-old broiler chicks (straight runs) were brooded, weighed and randomly assigned to four dietary treatments of 20 chicks each in a completely randomized block design (CRBD). Each treatment had five replicates with five birds per replicate. AFFNKM replaced groundnut cake (GNC) at 0 (control), 5, 10 and 15% dietary levels, designated Ti, Tz, T3 and T4. The study lasted nine weeks. Red Blood Cell (RBC) counts in Ti (3.86 x 106 mm3) and 14 (3.49 x 106 mm3) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of ^ (3.07 x 106 mm3), but RBC value for T4 did not differ significantly (P>0.05) from that ofTz (3.27 x 106 mm3). White Blood Cell (WBC) count and Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration in T[, Tz and T4 were similar (P>0.05) but their values in Ta which were similar (P>0.05) to those in T^ and T4 differed significantly (P<0.05) from that in Ti. Packed Cell Volume (PCV) value in Ti differed significantly (P<0.05) from values in Ts and T3 but was similar (P>0.05) to that in T4. There were no significant (P>0.05) differences among all the treatment groups with respect to all the serum biochemical indices. No mortality was recorded due to treatment effect. Results showed that ammoniated full-fat neem kernel meal (AFFNKM) can replace groundnut cake up to 15% of the total diets of broiler chickens in the semi-arid zone without any adverse effect to their haematobiochemical components.

Keywords: Neem kernel meal, broilers, groundnut cake, heamatobiochemical components

Sahel Journal of Veterinary Science Vol. 6 (1) 2007: pp. 21-25