AGE AT MENARCHE AND MENSTRUAL PATTERN OF VAT TEXTILE DYE-EXPOSED WORKERS AT ITOKU, ABEOKUTA, SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

An eight-week study was carried out to compare the effect of dietary antibiotics, probiotic, organic acid and an herbal product on live performance, haematology and serum biochemical constituents of broilers. One hundred and five broilers aged one week were assigned into seven treatment groups(control, organic acid, probiotic, neomycin, herbal product, oxytetracycline and colistin). Each group was replicated three times with five broilers per repliocate.The broilers were fed with diet containing Basal diet (T , Control), 1g/kg Hamecosal inclusion diet (T ), 0.5g/kg Bio Vet-YC 1 2 inclusion diet (T ), 10mg/kg Neomycin inclusion diet (T ), 0.5g/kg Livfit Vet inclusion diet (T ), 3 4 5 10mg/kg Oxytetracycline inclusion diet (T ) and 10mg/kg Colistin inclusion diet (T ). The 6 7 experimental diets and drinking water were supplied add libitum to the broilers for a period of eight weeks. Weight measurement were weekly and weight gain, feed conversion ratio, percentage digestibility were calculated. Haematological and serological analyses were carried out with standard methods. Results showed no significant difference (P>0.05) in weight gain of broilers in the different treatment groups with the highest gain recorded in birds on probiotics. With the exception of birds on antibiotic Colistin, feed intake of supplemented birds was lower (P 0.05) in all treatments except ash and nitrogen free extract digestibilities (P<0.05). Among the haematological parameters, only Packed Cell Volume (PCV) was significantly affected by treatment effects (P<0.05). Similarly, only total protein differed significantly (P<0.05) among serum biochemical measurements.Fromthe findings of this study; probiotics, organic acids and herbal products can replace antibiotic growth promoters in broiler production.