EVALUATION OF ANTIFUNGAL PROPERTIES OF SOME PLANT EXTRACTS ON SELECTED COMMERCIAL FEEDS AND THEIR EFFECT ON BROILER-CHICKEN PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The presence of mycotoxins in feeds is potentially hazardous to the health of humans and animals and they are proven carcinogens, immunotoxins and causes growth retardation in broiler birds. The preservability of feed by monitoring of mycotoxins in animal feed is especially important because it does not only provided a healthier diet for animals, but it also may indirectly prevent any mycotoxin residue carryover in animals for human consumption. A solution to this problem is to examine the inhibitory potentials of the plant extracts on fungal growth in selected commercial broiler feeds and to assess the effect of plant extract on the overall performance of broiler chicken. The preservability of feed by two ethanolic medicinal plant extracts Aristolochia ringens and Mistracarpus scaber was evaluated by examining the inhibitory potentials of the plants on conidial germination of fungal in selected commercial broiler feeds and also assess the effect on the performance of broiler chicken fed various graded concentrations of the extracts incorporated in these feeds. The phytochemical analysis showed that saponin, phenol, tanins and protein are present in Aristolochia ringens whereby flavonoid is absent but present in Mistracarpus scaber The two plant extracts were able to show complete inhibition of the mycelia growth of the isoloated fungi Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus, Articullospora inflata Mucor spp and Penicillum spp for the two commercial feeds when incubated (Feed A and Feed B) mostly at 5.0g/kg of feed and 10g/kg of feed respectively. The growth performance was carried out to assess the efficacy of the plant extracts as alternative for antimicrobial growth promoter in broilers. A total of 330 broiler chickens were divided into 10 groups and 3 replicates with 10 chickens each. Diet 1: Control for feed A (CFA) contained no plant extracts, diet 2: Control for feed B(CFB) containing no plant extracts, diet 3: Low level of Aristolochia ringens (LARA) at 125gm/25kg of feed A, diet 4: High level of Aristolochia ringens (HARA) at 250gm/25kg of feed A, diet 5: Low level of Mistrascarpus scarber (LMSA) at 125gm/25kg of feed A, diet 6: High level of Mistrascarpus scarber (HMSA) at 250gm/25kg offered A, diet7: Low level of Aristolochia ringens (LARB) at 125gm/25kg of feed B, diet8: High level of Aristolochia ringens (HARB) at 250gm/25kg of feed B, diet 9: Low level of Mistracarpus scarber (LMSB) at 125gm/25kg of feed, B diet 10: High level of Mistracarpus scarber (HMSB) at 250gm/25kg of feed B. The result showed that using medicinal plant extracts in broiler diet had no significant difference (P>0.05) on the performance, carcass traits. These results showed that there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the interaction between the treatment, feed and the level of inclusion of the tested plant extracts on the live performance or in organ morphormetrics. At the end of feeding trial, blood was collected from the birds and analysed for haematological and serum biochemical indices, haematological parameters of the birds were not significantly reduced (P>0.05) and they are within the normal range for birds. Serum protein, albumin and globulin are not significant (P>0.05) when compared with the control diet. Alanine transaminase (ALT) and Aspertate transaminase (AST) increased with the level of plant extract up to 250g/25kg of feed which could still maintain the intensity of the kidney in boosting the cation/ anion exchange. The serum biochemistry obtained has no deleterious effect on the internal physiology of starter broilers. There was a normal liver hepatocyte without drainage with sinusoid in place and intact air sac with no hepatocellular degeneration or necrosis. The lung had an intact air sac with well-formed alveoli opening network in the lungs of bird fed Mistracarpus scaber and Aristolochia ringens included in the feed. Inclusion of Mistracarpus scaber and Aristolochia ringens worked effectively without any toxic effect on the performance, haematological, serum biochemical and the physiology of the broiler birds.