Author/Authors :
Ogbuokiri ، U. D. E. نويسنده Department of Animal Production and Health Technology, Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, PMB 1472, Ohaji, Owerri, Nigeria. , , Iheanacho ، A. نويسنده Department of Animal Production and Health Technology, Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, PMB 1472, Ohaji, Owerri, Nigeria. , , Osuji ، A. L. نويسنده Department of Animal Production and Health Technology, Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, PMB 1472, Ohaji, Owerri, Nigeria. , , Okoli ، I. C. نويسنده Tropical Animal Health and Production Research Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Nigeria. , , Ekenyem ، B. U. نويسنده Department of Animal Science and Fisheries, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria. ,
Abstract :
A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dried Carica papaya, Linn, leaf meal (PLM) on the performance, hematology, serum biochemistry and shank pigmentation of starter broiler chicks. One hundred and fifty (150) day old broilers of mixed sexes (straight-run) were reared from day old to two weeks of age following standard procedures and strict bio-security measures, using commercial feed before placing them on experimental diets. Thereafter 120 birds were selected from this pool of 150 chicks on the basis of vigor and were randomly divided into five groups of 24 birds each and assigned to five treatment diets containing 0, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5% dried pawpaw leaf meal. Each group was further divided into three replicates of six birds each in a completely randomized design (CRD). There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in feed intake, average weight gain and feed conversation ratio of the birds at the end of 21 days of feeding. Body weight gains and weekly shank pigmentation scores were however not significantly (p > 0.05) affected. The hemoglobin concentration (Hb) values for treatments T1 and T4 and T2 and T4 were not significantly (p > 0.05) different from each other, while values between T1, T2, T3 and T5 were significantly different (p < 0.05. Packed cell volume (PCV) and other hematological indices were also not significantly different (p > 0.05). The WBC values for treatment T1 and T2 were significantly different from those of treatments T3, T4 and T5 (p < 0.05). There were no clear cut difference between the effects of lowest inclusion rate (treatment 1) and the highest (treatment 5). The total serum protein (g/100g), uric acid (mg/dl), glucose (Mmol/l) and creatinine (Mmol/l) values increased significantly (p < 0.05) in response to increasing inclusion of pawpaw leaf in the diets.
