ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation of broiler diets with benzoic acid on intestinal microflora and haematological indices. One hundred and twenty birds (120) were used which was divided into 5 treatments of 3 replicate with 8 birds per replicate arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD). The level Of benzoic acid inclusion were 0%, 6%, 12%, 18% and 24% while the 0% served as control. Feed (commercial feed containing benzoic acid) was given every morning and evening, water was given ad libitum. The experiment lasted for 49 days. Both data on microbial count (load); p'1 concentration of the digesta and haematological indices (blood parameters) in experimental birds were collected after the experiment. Blood samples (2.5m1) were collected through the jugular vein of the birds with EDTA bottles. Also chyme samples were taken for laboratory examination. The results show that there were no significant different (p < 0.05) between the pack cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCII), and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC). The P'-' of the crop and colon-rectum of different birds were not significantly different while the gizzard, ileum, caecum and duodenum were significantly differences (p < 0.05) from each other. The microbial load (count) significantly decreased with higher inclusion of benzoic acid in the feed. It can be stated that the use of benzoic acid at 24% inclusion level (4x105) reduced the microbial load and increased the P" concentration of the digesta. In p' concentration, gizzard has the least value in (T4) 4.15 and the highest value was in colon-rectum 7.15. In microbial count the least value was in T4 4x105 and the highest value was in To 15x10 In haematological indices mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration has the least value 18.14% while mean corpuscular volume has the highest value 236.68%.