INFLUENCE OF WHOLE PADDY GRAIN FEEDING ON HAEMATOLOGICAL AND INTESTINAL HISTOMORPHOLOGY OF COMMERCIAL BROILER CHICKEN

A biological experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding of whole  paddy  grain on the  haematological  and intestinal  histomorphology  studies in broiler chicken. A total of 144 broilers were individually weighed, wing banded and randomly allotted on a weight equalization basis to 4 treatment groups with 3 replicates in each treatment group with 12 chicks in each replicate. Four isocaloric and isonitrogenous treatment rations containing whole paddy grain at levels of 0 % (T1), 5 % (T2), 10% (T3) and 15% (T4) of the total ration at the expense of maize were formulated. No significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in packed cell volume %,  haemoglobin  concentration,  total  erythrocyte  count  and  total  leucocyte  count among treatment groups and control. There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in intestinal length and weight between control and treatment groups. Intestinal histomorphology of duodenum recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher villi height in T4 (692.02 µm) than T1 (534.12 µm) and significantly (P<0.05) higher villi height: crypt depth ratio was recorded in T4 (18.88 µm) than T2 (12.77 µm) however, no significant (P>0.05) difference was recorded in villi width, crypt depth, villi surface area. In jejunum, no significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in villi height, villi width, crypt depth and villi surface area but villi height: crypt depth ratio recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher values in T3 (14.51 µm) than T1 (8.57µm) group. In ileum, no significant (P>0.05) difference was recorded in villi height, crypt depth, villi surface area and villi height: crypt depth ratio but villi width recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher value in T2 (53.66µm) than T1(32.74 µm) group. The findings of this study indicated more favourable outcomes in the treatment groups compared to the control group, suggesting that inclusion of whole paddy grain up to 15% in broiler chicken ration had no negative effect on intestinal and haematological parameters.