THE EFFECTS OF BREEDS ON SOME SELECTED BLOOD PARAMETERS IN EXOTIC AND LOCAL SPENT CHICKENS

Broilers are genetically improved for meat production; however, spent hens of chickens that have been genetically improved for egg production and local hens are usually sold for meat at the end of the laying cycle. A study was carried out to determine the blood profiles of these spent hens with a view to knowing the suitability of the meat for human’s consumption vis-a-vis the health status of the bird.

Twenty numbers day old chicks each of normal-feathered local and Brown Nera exotic stocks were procured and kept intensively. They were fed with starter diet (2880 Kcal ME/kg and 186 g/kg of crude protein) for 2 months; grower diet (2970 KcalME/kg and 178 g/kg crude protein) for the next 3 months and layer diet (2800 KcalME/kg and 178 g/kg crude protein) from onset of lay to 52 weeks when the experiment was terminated. Blood samples collected from 10 exotic spent hens and 10 normal-feathered local spent hens were analyzed for haematological parameters and serum metabolites. The haematological parameters determined were Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red Blood Cell (RBC), haemoglobin concentration (Hb) and White Blood Cells differentials - Neutrophils (N), Lymphocytes (L), Monocytes (M) and Eosinophils (E). The serum metabilites determined were total protein, albumin, globulin, alkaline phosphatase, creatine and total cholesterol and the minerals determined were sodium (Na), potassium (K) and calcium (Ca).

None of the haematological parameters was significantly (p>0.05) affected by breed. Alkaline phosphatase and creatine were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by breed with higher values recorded for local hens but total cholesterol was higher (p<0.05) in the exotic hens. The exotic breed contained higher (p<0.05) sodium (86.19±0.54 mmol/l) and calcium (1.92±0.05 mmol/l) while K was not significantly different (p>0.05) between the two breeds.

Spent hens’ blood parameters fall within the standard references of poultry and the sale and consumption will not pose any health hazards to the consumers but will rather satisfy the nutritional needs of consumers and increase the income of the farmers.