Influence of Guinea hen weed (Petiveria alliacea) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and blood indices of growing pullets

A total of 450 ISA Brown growing chicks were used to evaluate the effects of feeding diets incorporated with Petiveria alliacea leaf meal (PLM) and Petiveria alliacea root meal (PRM) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, haematological indices and serum biochemistry. The birds were divided into 10 treatment groups of 45 growing chicks with 3 replicates of 15 chicks each. The diets contained PLM and PRM at 5 five levels of inclusion; 0 mg/kg, 1000 mg/kg, 1500 mg/kg, 2000 mg/kg and 2500 mg/kg. The experiment was arranged in a 2 ? 5 factorial layout in a Completely Randomized Design. Amidst varying inclusion levels, superior (P<0.05) final live weight, weight gain and feed-gain was obtained in birds fed diets added with 1000 mg/kg of PLM. Reduced (P<0.05) Packed Cell Volume was recorded in birds fed diet containing 1500, 2500 mg/kg of PLM and 2500 mg/kg of PRM in comparison to control. When compared to birds fed control diets, least (P<0.05) haemoglobin was obtained in birds fed with 1500 mg/kg of PLM. Among varying inclusion of PLM and PRM, Red Blood Cell was reduced (P<0.05) in birds fed diets included with 2500 mg/kg of PLM and 1000 mg/kg of PRM. White Blood Cell in birds fed diets included with 2000 and 1000 mg/kg of PLM was lowered (P<0.05) to other dietary groups. Eosinophil and monocyte differentials were decreased (P<0.05) in birds fed diets added with 2500 mg/kg of PRM. Serum total protein and albumin content were superior (P<0.05) in birds fed diets containing 2500 mg/kg of PLM in comparison to 1500 mg/kg of PLM. Globulin was best (P<0.05) in birds fed diets incorporated with 2500 mg/kg of PLM across the dietary groups. Serum ALT enzyme was increased (P<0.05) in birds fed diets incorporated with 1500 mg/kg of PLM than that fed with 1000 mg/kg of PLM. When compared to birds fed diets containing 2500 mg/kg of PRM, least (P<0.05) serum uric acid was obtained in birds fed 2000 and 2500 mg/kg of PLM. It could be concluded that incorporation of PLM at 1000 mg/kg improved weight gain, feed/gain and protein efficiency ratio. Better MCV and MCHC were recorded at 1000 mg/kg of PRM while inclusion of 2500 mg/kg of PRM increased serum total protein, albumin and globulin of the growing birds.