ABSTRACT

An experiment was carried out to determine the acute toxicity/lethal dose and the tolerance level of raw castor oil bean (Ricinus coinmuni) extract on broilers. The seed were ground, defatted with petroleum ether and the residue was subjected to extracted with phosphate buffer saline (PBS). The extracts volume equivalents of six doses (Og!kg), 4g/kg, 9g/kg, I 4g/kg, I 9glkg and 24g/kg) were determined and then given by oral drenching to thirty 6-week old broilers, averaging 500-600g There were 5 birds per treatment. The drenched birds were left in their respective pens with access to feed and water ad observed for 48 hours. Few minutes after the administration of the extracts dizziness was observed followed by diarrhoric droppings. The intensity increased with increase in the doses. After 12 hours, two birds died in treatment 2 and four in treatment 3 while all the birds in treatments 4, 5 and 6 died. At the end of 48 hours, a bird each from treatments 2 and 3 died bringing the total percent mortality to 60% and 100% respectively. This implies that Ricinus communEs is acutely toxic with LD50that is close to 4g of seed per kg body weight. This also means that the tolerance level of broiler birds for raw Ricinus communEs is about 4000 parts per million (ppm)