Influences of Amaranth Leaf Meal on Performance, Blood Profiles, and Gut Morphology in Boschveld Chickens
Influences of Amaranth Leaf Meal on Performance, Blood Profiles, and Gut Morphology in Boschveld Chickens
Tlou Grace Manyelo1,2, Nthabiseng Amenda Sebola1, Jones Wilfred Ng’ambi2, Monnye Mabelebele1*
ABSTRACT
Protein ingredients are the most expensive inputs in poultry production even though not included in large quantities compared to energy ingredients. The study aimed to determine whether amaranth leaf meal supplementation could improve the performance, blood parameters, and gut morphology of indigenous Boschveld chickens. A total of 200 one-day-old indigenous Boschveld chicks were randomly allocated to five treatments in a completely randomized design each with four replicates of ten chicks. Amaranth leaf meal (ALM) levels evaluated in this study were 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20% with recording weekly body weights, feed intakes, and feed conversion ratios. Gut organ weights, lengths, pH, and meat characteristics were determined, and the general linear model was used to analyze the collected data. ALM supplementation levels did not affect feed intakes, body weights, feed conversion ratios, and live weights of indigenous Boschveld chickens. At the age of 42 days chickens that were supplemented with 0, 10, and 20% ALM had higher (P < 0.05) white blood cells, heterophils, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils compared to other treatments. At the age of 90 days, the chickens which were treated with 5, 10, and 15% ALM had higher (P < 0.05) heterophils, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and basophils than other treatments. However, 5% ALM had a higher (P < 0.05) nutrient digestibility in the Boschveld chickens. ALM inclusion did not affect the gastrointestinal tract, small intestine, caeca, and large intestine weights of chickens aged 21, 42, and 90 days, respectively.
Keywords | Amaranth, broiler chickens, hematology, nutrient digestibility, performance
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