COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT SCHEDULES OF ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS MIXED INFUSION ON HEMATOLOGY OF BROILER CHICKS

The present research study was undertaken at the poultry unit of Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan during 2010 to investigate the effect of different schedules of administration of water based infusion of Aloe vera gel, Allium sativum, Berberis lycium, Silybum marianum, Caram copticum and Trigonella foenum greacum on hematology of broiler chicks. 240, day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups designated as E, F, G and H receiving infusion (20 ml/L) on daily, alternative day, once after two days and once in three days basis, respectively. Each group was further divided into two sub-groups vaccinated and non-vaccinated for different treatments. Each sub group carried three replicates of 10 chicks each. All chicks were reared in separate pens for 35 days in an open sided house. Significant increase was observed in hemoglobin (7.75mg/dl) and packed cell volume (30.16%) level in group E while total leukocyte count remained unaltered. It was concluded that mixed infusion of the mentioned plants at the rate of 20 ml/L of drinking water on daily basis could be effectively utilized to improve hemoglobin and packed cell volume in broiler chicks.