Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Technology

Research Paper|Published June 2020|Vol.6 (5):78-86

https://doi.org/10.36630/jasft_20011

 

 

Blood Profiles, Intestinal Morphometric and Ceaca Micro Flora of Broiler Chickens Fed with Urea Molasses Treated Maize Cob

 

Olayemi W.A.^1*, Alade A. A.³, Williams G.A.² and Obadare O.O.¹

 

¹Department of Agricultural Technology, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria.

²School of Agriculture, Lagos State University Epe Campus Lagos, Nigeria. ³Africa Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.

 

ABSTRACT

A 56-day study was conducted to evaluate the effects of urea-molasses treated maize cobs (UMTMC) on blood profile, intestinal morphometric and gut microflora status of broiler chickens. Five experimental diets were formulated consisting of UMTMC at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% as replacement for wheat offal at starter and finisher phases.  250-day old unsexed broiler (Cobb) chickens were allotted to five dietary treatments of fifty broiler chicks per treatment and replicated five times with ten chicks per replicate in a completely randomized design.  The results showed that UMTMC contained 90.17% dry matter (DM), 11.06% crude protein (CP), 2.17% ether extract (EE), 3.44% crude fiber (CF) while ash and carbohydrate are 2.64% and 71.31% respectively. Moreover, the replacement of wheat offal with UMTMC up to 50% significantly (P<0.05) increased the hemoglobin, red blood cells and white blood cells. Broiler birds fed 25% UMTMC based diet significantly (P<0.05) increased total protein, globulin, creatinine, and cholesterol while 100% UMTMC had highest (P<0.05) values of albumin and uric acid.  The gut microflora of the broiler chickens fed 50% UMTMC had reduced (P<0.05) values of total bacteria count, lactobacillus, staphylococcus, salmonella and coliform counts. The dietary treatments significantly (P<0.05) increased the villus height, crypt depth and lamina propria of duodenum, ileum and jejunum segments. The study confirmed that 50% UMTMC can replace wheat offal as a fiber source in the diets of broiler chickens without any compromise in blood profiles, caeca micro flora and gut morphology.

 

Keywords: Broiler, urea-molasses, maize cob, blood profiles, gut morphometric, caeca micro flora.

 

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