The effect of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Powder on Serum Biochemical parameters of Broilers

Poultry products (meat and egg) are some of the common/cheap sources of protein in Africa but the issue of Antimicrobial Resistance due to the inappropriate use of antibiotics in birds is threatening the poultry production subsector and causing serious public health concerns. As such, there is a need to find alternatives (phytogenic) to antibiotics that can improve animal health and reduce antibiotic use by farmers. The study aimed to determine the effect of the graded level of turmeric (Curcuma longa) on the liver enzymes of broilers. The study was conducted with 120 one-day-old broiler chicks (Cobb 500) fed turmeric (Curcuma longa) powder as supplement were used for the experiment (7 weeks). The birds were reared on deep litter system and were randomly allotted to four (4) equal dietary groups (TC, T1, T2, and T3) fed turmeric powder levels of 0, 50, 100, and 150 g/25kg feed for seven (7) weeks. Blood samples were collected at the end of the experiment for laboratory (serum biochemical) analysis; each dietary group contained three replicates with 10 birds each. The results showed that the concentration of total protein (TP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were not affected statistically (P> 0.05) in groups treated with turmeric powder when compared with the control group. In contrast, the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was affected statistically (P< 0.05) across the group. The study concludes that turmeric positively affected some serum biochemical parameters; although further research is required to elucidate its effect at different inclusion levels on other biochemical parameters.