Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Salt on the Haematology and Serum Biochemistry of Turkey Poults

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of graded levels of salt applied through feed and water. Ninety (90) day old turkey poults were used for the study. The design for the experiment was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Six diets were formulated with the inclusion of common salt at 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 in T1, T3, and T5 diet on feed while 0.25, 0.5, and 0.75 in T2, T4 and T6 in water. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. There were significant difference (P<0.05) in the average daily weight and feed conversion ratio. The weight gain (T4) with 0.5 in water has the highest while T1 has the least. In the haematological parameter, the packed cell volume (PCV) and the red blood cell (RBC) has the highest significant difference (P<0.05) than others which is Hemoglobin (HB) and white blood cell (WBC). T5 and T6 recorded the highest RBC values which suggest possible hemorrhage due to their high level of salt content while T2 and T5 showed the tendency of lowering the PVC. Serum biochemistry of turkey poults was affected by level and mode of dietary salt inclusion. Among the parameters studied, serum albumin content was not affected while other parameters glucose, urea, creatinine, total protein and albumin showed high significant difference (P<0.05) in each parameter. It is recommended that farmers can apply salt at 0.50g in water for the good performance of turkey poults. performance of turkey poults at 8 weeks of age. They obtained PCV: 33-36%, haemoglobin: 1.7-11.7 g/dl, RBC: 2.1-2.8 (X 10 12 /l) and WBC: 5.80-5.96 X 10 9 /l. The PCV obtained in this study was lower than the range given by Elizabeth et al (2009), Ogungbenro (2013 and Etuk (2012) but fell within the range given by Ergul (2003) whereas only T1, T3 and T4 fell within the range given by Cronje (2005), T6 in addition fell within the range given by Ajuonuma (2013). The WBC obtained in this present study was lower than the value reported by Elizabeth et al (2009), Etuk (2012) and Ogungbenro (2013). This low value of WBC in this study simply means reduced immunity potential of the turkey poults which may be as a result of the level and form of application of salt used in this study. The haemoglobin result obtained in this study fell within the range reported by Elizabeth (2009) and Ogungbenro (2013. T1, T3 and T4 met the range reported by Etuk (2012). The RBC values obtained in this study were lower than the normal reference value reported by Ajuonuma (2013) and Ogungbenro (2013); however, T6 was closer to the range obtained by Etuk (2012). The lower values of RBC obtained in this study shows that the levels and form of application of salt reduced the RBC of the turkey poults. parameters. T5 had low glucose level associated with high total protein and globulin, suggesting that 0.75% salt in feed probably led to less protein metabolism and utilization. The result also shows that the lower the salt level in diet, the higher the blood glucose level as revealed in T1 and T2. The result shows that higher levels of salt inclusion in diet reduced total protein and globulin metabolism in T5 and T6 but favoured glucose as revealed in T4, T5 and T6, whereas lower levels of salt inclusion in diets of turkey poults reduced blood glucose metabolism but increased blood total protein and globulin metabolism as revealed in T1 and T2. Blood urea level was influenced mainly by the form of application of salt as T2, T4 and T6 containing salt inclusion in water led to high blood urea levels compared to T1, T3, and T5 containing diets with salt. Added in feed. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is an indication of renal health.