Effect of Duranta Leaf Powder on Haematological Parameters of Two Strains of Broiler Chicken

The study was conducted to evaluate the haematological parameters of broiler chickens fed diets with graded levels of Duranta erecta leaf powder (DLP). One hundred and ninety two day-old Cobb 500 and Arbor Acre broiler chicks were randomly allotted into four dietary treatments (Diet 1: Control, Diet 2: 100 mg Vitamin C/kg feed, Diet 3: 0.25 g DLP/kg feed, Diet 4: 0.5 g DLP/kg feed) in a Completely randomized design (CRD) with two replicates of eight birds each. The feeding trial lasted six weeks, during which feed and water were provided ad libitum. Haematological parameters including Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red Blood Cell (RBC), Haemoglobin (Hb), White Blood Cell (WBC), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) were analyzed to assess the health and physiological response of the birds. The results indicated that the control diet and Vitamin C diet generally yielded the highest PCV and Hb values, whereas high inclusion of DLP (0.5 mg/kg) significantly reduced erythroid parameters, with Cobb 500 birds recording PCV as low as 34% and Hb 10.5 g/dL. Mean corpuscular indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC) showed variable responses, with Vitamin C diets supporting higher values, while DLP-fed groups recorded lower levels. Arbor Acre strain showed slightly better tolerance to DLP compared to Cobb 500, though both were adversely affected at higher inclusion levels. In summary, low to moderate inclusion of Duranta erecta leaf powder had minimal effect on the haematological parameters of broiler chickens, but higher doses impaired blood values, particularly in Cobb 500 strain. This suggests that Duranta leaf powder should be cautiously used in poultry diets, as excessive supplementation may compromise bird health.