Studies on the haemato-biochemical changes in growing broilers after being fed on Icacina oliviformis (false yam) tuber meal

Haemato-biochemical alterations were studied from feeding and slaughter experiments in growing broilers to investigate the effects of Icacina oliviformis (false yam) tuber meal on haemato-biochemical changes. Diets contained: raw seed meal without any treatment (30 g/kg diet), tuber meal treated without aqueous ethanol (70% alcohol; 60 g/kg), tuber meal treated with aqueous ethanol (70% alcohol; 60 g/ kg), soaked, dried tuber meal (90 g/kg), and standard commercial corn, soybean and fishmeal based feed as control diet. Both control and treatment groups allocated 42 g diet/day (restricted feeding) and were pair-fed up to the end of the experiment. The cellular components and parameters of blood and serum were subjected to detailed studies. Cellular elements were found to be little affected. Nevertheless, values recorded on the effects of test substances on hematological indices of packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin concentration (HBC) and red blood cell (RBC) were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) different among indices measured. PCV recorded was highest (p < 0.05) in groups fed 6% raw tuber meal treated with 70% aqueous ethanol. HBC value was highest (p < 0.05) for birds fed the 9% soaked tuber meal (8.58 g%) as compared to those of others. The significant (p<0.05) lowering effect of total cholesterol was observed in birds fed false yam meal at different concentrations compared to those of birds fed on standard control diet. The water-soaked false yam meal which was incorporated at the level of 90 g/kg diet lowered total serum cholesterol by 36% compared with that value for the standard commercial feed. However, the present experiments could not adequately explain the underlying reasons for lowering effects which is related to lipid metabolism. The results suggest that false yam protein and or fiber may be involved in reducing cholesterol and may exert long-term effects of this material on the consumers through unknown mechanisms. It is highly likely that our preliminary investigation has revealed hitherto unknown cholesterol-lowering natural product from false yam and thus, further work is warranted.