This experiment was conducted for eight weeks to evaluate the haematological and serum biochemical indices of broiler chickens infected with Salmonella Gallinarum (Gr. D1-1, 9, 12) and treated with ethanolic leaf extract of Chrysophyllum albidum (G. Don). The experimental design was a factorial arrangement in a completely randomised design (CRD) involving one hundred and sixty two (162) unsexed day-old Arbor Acre broiler chicks. The chickens were allotted to nine (9) groups of three (3) replicates with each replicate comprising six (6) birds of infected, non-infected, treated and untreated group. Phytochemical screening of C. albidum revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides, steroids, terpenoids and flavonoids. The extract and the standard drug were th administered at 7 day post infection. There were significant differences (P< 0.05) in Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red Blood Cell (RBC), Haemoglobin (Hb), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Lymphocyte (LYM) and none in Heterophil (HET), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Monocytes, Basophils and Eosinophils at all levels. The highest values of PCV (33.67±1.86a ), RBC (3.02±0.4a ) and Hb (11.23±0.62a ) though normal were observed in the standard drug (Doxygen®) group. Most of the serum biochemical parameters were found to be within range usually seen in avian species. It was concluded that ethanolic leaf extract of C. albidum had no deleterious effect on haematological and biochemical indices of broiler chickens and hence can be further explored pharmaceutically for its usefulness in treating fowl typhoid.
This study was conducted to investigate the impact of introducing Saccharomyces cerevisiae with or without molasses in a diet based on rice husk on the health status of goats. Thirty (30) West African Dwarf (WAD) goats with mean weight of 10.46 ± 0.06 kg were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments of six goats per treatment in a completely randomized design experiment for 84 days. The goats were fed five formulated diets of rice husks anaerobically fermented for 7days with S. cerevisiae with or without molasses at graded levels. Nutrient composition of feed, daily nutrient intake, apparent digestibility coefficients, weekly weight gain/change by the goats were evaluated. At the end of the feeding trial, faeces, urine and blood samples were collected and analysed using standard procedures. The efficacy of the diet containing a combination of S. cerevisiae and molasses in ratio 1:1 as a feed additive, coupled with fermentation was proven by the concomitant reduction in fibre content. All the growth criteria (feed intake, live weight gain and feed conversion ratio), blood profiles and serum minerals measured favoured goats fed this Diet 3. No mortality was recorded during the trial. Conclusively, introducing S. cerevisiae with molasses at equi-ratio nutritionally enhances optimal rice husk utilization in goats’ nutrition and supported productive performance and their health status.
Heat stress is a silent threat to the well-being of chickens with negative impacts on their health, performance and productivity in the tropics. This has therefore, necessitated its control among the flocks of poultry. Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is commonly used to improve the performance and well-being of birds under heat stress but its effects on the production performance of Isa brown (IB) and Harco black (HB) breeds are yet to be examined. Thisstudy was therefore, conducted to unravel the effect of ASA on these birds' performance. One hundred and ninety-two birds comprising 96 IB and 96 HB layers were randomly allotted to four treatment diets supplemented with 0, 0.025, 0.050 and 0.075% of ASA at 48 birds/treatment in four replicates of 12 birds each. Feed intake, weight change, mortality, hen-day egg production (HDEP) and hen-housed egg production (HHEP) were determined. Results showed that IB recorded a higher weight change (806.83±33.45g) than the HB (722.8±35.91g) breed. Dietary ASA supplementation at 0.075% produced the highest weight change (808.52±242.73g) relative to the control (672.92±65.04g). The ASA level at 0.050% produced the lowest mortality (2.46±0.01%). Conclusively, the use of ASA in the diets improved weight change in the birds. The IB breed had a better livability (95.70%) than the HB breed (91.80%). The ASA at 0.050% conferred the best livability (97.54%) on the birds. Also, the use of ASA significantly improved total egg production. The ASA supplementationhad a better ameliorative effect on HB than the IB breed.
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