Performance, haematological and serum indices of broiler chicken fed fig leaf powder and vitamin c supplemented diets

Abstract

Performance, haematological and serum chemistry of two broiler chicken breeds fed Ficus carica leaf powder and vitamin C supplemented diets were evaluated. Four hundred and eighty day-old broiler chicks (240 Arbor Acre and 240 Cobb 500) were allotted to eight treatments: diets 1 and 2 had no supplementation and fed to Arbor Acre and Cobb 500, respectively; diets 3 and 4 were supplemented with 200mg/kg vitamin C and fed to Arbor Acre and Cobb 500, respectively; diets 5 and 6 were supplemented with 1% Ficus carica leaf powder and fed to Arbor Acre and Cobb 500; while diets 7 and 8 were supplemented with 200mg/kg Vitamin C + 1% Ficus carica leaf powder and fed to Arbor Acre and Cobb 500, respectively. The result showed that feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significant. Also, the interaction of breed, vitamin C and Ficus carica leaf powder showed significance on feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The interaction of vitamin C and Ficus carica leaf powder showed significance on packed cell volume, red blood cell, mean cell haemoglobin concentration, mean cell volume, mean cell haemoglobin, white blood cell, granulocytes and lymphocytes. The different treatments also showed significance on aspertate aminotransferase, creatinine, cholesterol, globulin and total protein. Thus, the supplementation of broiler diets with Ficus carica leaf powder and vitamin C improved the performance as well as the haematological indices and serum chemistry of the tested birds.