ABSTRACT

Gnetum africanum is one of the green leafy vegetables consumed in Africa, Asia and South America. It is now being focused globally as another promising leaf meal in livestock which is rich in nutrients. The study was aimed at generating information on the effects on hematology and serum biochemistry associated with consumption of diet supplemented with leaf meal of Gnetum africanum. The leaves were collected, air dried and pulverized. Eighty broiler chicks were used for this study. They were acclimatized for three days, and then were randomly distributed into five groups of sixteen (n=sixteen). The birds were fed commercial starter and finisher ration into which the leaf meal was incorporated at various levels for 8 weeks. Birds in group 1 received feed without Gnetum africanum meal, while birds in groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 received: 0.5g/kg, 1g/kg, 2g/kg and 3g/kg of gnetum africanum meal respectively. Blood was collected at the end of 8 weeks of feeding. The results showed that treated birds had a significant difference (p≤ 0.01) in PCV, RBC and WBC than the control groups. Also serum liver enzymes were significantly (p≤0.005, p≤0.001) reduced, while the serum kidney enzymes, uric acid and creatinine were significantly (p≤0.0001) higher when compared with the control group. There was an elevation in kidney enzymes which indicates that the plant is not safe in birds at these levels of supplementation.