Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Agricultural Waste-Derived Activated Charcoal on Hematological and Serum Biochemical Indices of Layer Chickens

The ban on sub-therapeutic dietary inclusion of antibiotics has necessitated the inclusion of natural additives such as activated charcoal (AC) produced from agricultural wastes. One hundred and twenty Isa Brown layer chickens aged 16 weeks with good management and vaccination history were used for this experiment. The birds were divided into four groups (G1-G4) of thirty birds each with each group further replicated three times comprising of 10 birds each. Chickens in G2-G4 were fed layer mash which contained 0.5g/kg, 1.0g/kg and 1.5g/kg of AC, respectively with G1 as control group and reared on deep litter. Blood samples were collected from the chickens at the end of 20th, 28th and 33rd week of the experiment and used for hematological and serum biochemical assays. Data collected were subjected to analysis using ANOVA. Hematological indices (RBC, Hb, PCV and lymphocytes) were significantly improved (P < 0.05) in the supplemented treatment group (G2, G3 and G4) at 28th and 33rd week than the control with G3 having the highest value. The MCV of G1 and G4 were both higher (P < 0.05) while the MCH, MCHC and neutrophil counts of G1 were significantly higher than other layer groups. The cholesterol level of G1 was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the supplemented groups (G2-G4) whose total proteins were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than G1. AC is recommended as feed additive for improvement of hematological indices and for use in cases of hypercholesterolemia.