Abstract
Efficacy of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) for ameliorating the adverse metabolic syndrome side-effects of genetically improved growth rate in chickens was examined. Sixty-four (64) day-old birds (32 Marshall Broilers and 32 Harco Black Pullets) were randomly assigned to groups of eight genotype-matched birds in a 2-factor layout within a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Within genotype, each group was randomly assigned one of four diets (basal/control diet containing 0% cabbage, and, basal diet supplemented with 3%, 6% or 12% cabbage) for 4 weeks. All birds were fed an un-supplemented Broiler finisher diet from week 4 - 8. Bodyweight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were determined weekly. Blood Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), White Blood Cells (WBC), Red Blood Cells (RBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophils and eosinophils), Total serum Cholesterol (TC), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) were determined at age 4 weeks. Irrespective of diet or age, Broilers exhibited significantly greater (p<0.05) body weight, adiposity, and lipidaemia than Pullets, and no interactions between cabbage and genotype were observed for the same traits. Dietary cabbage at 3%, irrespective of genotype significantly (p<0.05) improved body weight beyond week 5 while no significant effect was observed on body fatness as measured by BMI. Cabbage supplementation suppressed broiler eosinophil levels, indicating effects on mediators of innate immune surveillance, but did not influence any other blood haematological parameter, though Broilers exhibited higher (p<0.05) total WBC count and proportion (%) of WBC represented by neutrophils, basophils and eosinophils. In Contrast, Pullets exhibited higher RBC, PCV, and Hb, and lymphocyte and monocyte differential counts. Dietary Cabbage had a nutrigenetic effect on cholesterol: Reduced TC and LDL in Broilers in contrast to its effect in increasing the same lipids in Pullets. Cabbage however lowered HDL Cholesterol (p<0.05) in both genotypes, though the threshold of effect was higher (12%) in Pullets (3%). Thus Cabbage is effective in lowering heart disease risk through lowering of lipidaemia in Broilers, and improves bodyweight at market age (7-8 weeks) at 3% dietary supplementation level.KEYWORDS: Cabbage, Broiler, Pullet, Nutritive, Metabolic syndrome.
Highlights
Body Mass index (BMI): The body mass index was derived by dividing Bodyweight expressed in gram units by the square of body length expressed in cm units, and expressed in Kg/m2 units
Haematology: The collected blood samples were subjected to the laboratory analysis of packed cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), Red blood cell (RBC) and White Blood Cell (WBC)
During weeks 1-4 in which cabbage was administered at graded levels, and in week 5 (1 week after discontinuation of the dietary cabbage supplementation), no significant (p0.05) diet effect on body weight was observed in broilers (Table 2)
Summary
The incidence of heart disease which is measurable by arrhythmia is as high as 27% (Olkowski, 2007) in Broiler chickens, and morbid complication including sudden death syndrome (SDS) occurs at a frequency of 0.5 and 5% (Saki and Hemati-Matin, 2011), and contributes to economic losses sustained by the farmer during production .Systematic genetic improvement in growth and productivity of modern commercial chickens (Fairfull et al, 1998) has unwittingly produced undesirable side effects which include a high frequency of leg problems and symptoms of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, dyslipidaemia (De Almeida et al, 2006) and insulin insufficiency, all of which compromise health and welfare of farmed birds, and may compromise the health of humans when fatty cholesterol-rich meat from such birds is consumed, and may in addition damage public opinion of the poultry industry and demand for poultry products.Breeding strategies including crossing and selection may be applied to uncouple desirable productivity and efficiency from the aforementioned side effects but such strategies require time and significant financial investment. Chemical genetics approaches which harness the modulatory effects of natural and/or synthetic chemical elements and compounds to ameliorate the metabolic syndrome symptoms are desirable. Where such modulators are effective and economical, they promise increases in health and welfare of farmed birds and may produce economic gains through higher yield and/or improved quality of meat and/or improved economics of production (improved feed efficiency). Synthetic products such as aspirin, ibrupofen, chloroquine, paracetamol, may be effective
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