Performance, Haematology and Serum Biochemical Status of two Strains of Broiler Chicken Fed Ficus thonningii Leaf Powder and Vitamin C Supplemented Diets

Aims: To evaluate the effect of Ficus thonningii leaf powder (FTLP) and vitamin                                          C supplemented diets on performance and haemato-biochemical status of two strains of broiler chickens. Methodology: Four hundred and eighty-one-day-old of Arbor acre (AB) and Cobb 500 (CO) broiler chicks were randomized to eight dietary treatments; diet 1 and 2 (Control), diets 3 and 4 (200mg/kg vitamin C inclusion), diets 5 and 6 (1% inclusion of FTLP) and (diets 7 and 8 (200mg/kg + 1% FTLP inclusions) for AB and CO strains respectively. Results: Result shows that feed intake, body weight gain and FCR were significant (P<0.05) at the starter phase. Interaction between strains and vitamin C were also significant (P<0.05) for body weight gain, FCR and feed intake. Vitamin C and FTLP supplementation significantly (P<0.05) improved the erythrocytes count while the MCV, MCH, WBC and lymphocytes of birds fed diets 2 and 6 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than the other diets. The dietary supplementation of vitamin C and FTLP shows that strain AB had a significantly (P<0.05) higher erythrocytes count than CO strain while the CO showed significant (P<0.05) improvement for the MCV and MCH. Vitamin C supplementation showed significant difference (P<0.05) for the RBC and the interaction of vitamin C and FTLP significantly (P<0.05) improved PCV, HB, MCV, MCH, WBC and lymphocytes. The interactive effect of vitamin C and FTLP significantly (P<0.05) improved the total protein and albumin. Cholesterol and creatinine levels were significantly (P<0.05) lowered by the inclusion of vitamin C and FTLP. Conclusion: As observed in this study, the inclusion of FTLP and vitamin C as a supplement in the diets of broiler chickens improved the performance, haematological indices and serum biochemical status of the tested birds.