Haematological Response of Broiler Finishers Fed Differently Processed Taro Cocoyam Colocasia esculenta (L) Schott

The study was carried out to investigate the effect of differently processed taro cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) on haematological indices of broiler finishers. For the study, 126 day-old chicks were used. The birds were fed broiler starter diet for pre-experimental period of two weeks, after which they were randomly grouped into six treatments and each treatment had 3 replicates with 7 birds per replicate. The control diet was maize-based while the other treatments contained raw unpeeled, raw peeled, boiled unpeeled, boiled peeled sun-dried taro cocoyam and peels in complete replacement of maize. The experiment lasted 8 weeks. The results of the study showed no significant difference across the treatments for packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and lymphocyte. The mean value of red blood cell (RBC) counts for birds on raw peeled taro cocoyam diet (2.7 × 106μl-1) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those on control diet (1.9 × 106μl-1). White blood cell (WBC) counts slightly varied across the treatments. There was no significant difference in total protein across the treatments. Birds on control diet had the highest numerical mean value of 4.3g/dl. In terms of cholesterol, birds on peels had the least mean value of 62.5g/dl which was significantly (P < 0.05) different from those on control diet (105.5g/dl). Birds on boiled unpeeled taro cocoyam had the least mean value of 142.1g/dl for glucose level which significantly (P < 0.05) differed from those on control diet (170.7g/ dl). Taro cocoyam is thus a recommended alternative energy source for poultry.