Blood parameters in broilers fed with Roystonea regia fruit meal

Abstract

Forty-day-old male broilers (HE₂₁) were used to study the blood indicators with the incorporation of Roystonea regia fruit meal (royal palm nut meal) in the diet. Birds were distributed according to a completely randomized design in four treatments and ten repetitions: control (corn-soybean) and three levels of inclusion of palm meal: 5, 10 and 15 %. Hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht), total protein concentration and cholesterol as well as triglycerides (TG) were determined in blood. No differences were observed in blood hemoglobin and hematocrit concentration with respect to the control. However, total protein concentration increased in all treatments including the ingredient, compared to the control (44.40, 44.22 and 45.78 vs. 41.72 g/L, respectively) (p<0.05). Cholesterol decreased with 5 % inclusion of palm meal in the diet (p<0.05), which differed from the rest (control, 10 % and 15 %). Triglyceride concentration was lower with 5 % and 15 % in relation to the control and 10 % (1.07 and 0.98 vs. 1.38 and 1.36 mmol / L, respectively) (p<0.05). It is concluded that the inclusion of palm meal up to 15 % in the diet of broilers constitutes an alternative feed source that does not represent any harm to the health of the animal, since the changes that occur in the blood parameters are in the reference values for the species.