Immune response and blood biochemistry in broilers fed tithonia forage meal at the finishing stage

Abstract

A total of 40 male broilers EB34, 42 days old, were used to evaluate the effect of Tithonia diversifolia forage meal intake, plant material 10, on indicators of immune response and blood biochemistry. A completely random design was used. The animals were distributed in five treatments with eight repetitions: corn/ soybean concentrate control, 5, 10, 15 and 20 % substitution of the concentrate by tithonia forage meal. For the analysis of the immune response, the lymphoid organs (spleen, Bursa of Fabricius and thymus) were extracted and the relative weights (g/g LW x 100 g of the organs) were determined. Blood was extracted from the jugular vein and serum indicators of blood biochemistry, cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides, total protein, albumin, alanine amino transferase enzymes, and aspartate amine transferase and uric acid were analyzed. From the biological point of view (P=0.0593) lower relative weight of the spleen was found for the chickens that received 20 % tithonia forage meal (0.13, 0.12, 0.12, 0.13 and 0.07 g/g LW x100) for 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 % substitution of corn/soybean by tithonia forage meal plant material 10, respectively. The intake levels of tithonia forage meal in broilers did not influence on the indicators of blood biochemistry, with the exception of uric acid, which increased with 15 % and 20 % substitution. These results suggest the possibility of using Tithonia diversifolia forage meal plant material 10, in a corn/soybean diet up to levels of 10 % for broilers in the finishing stage, without causing damage to the animals health.
Key words: Tithonia diversifolia, forage meal, health, birds.