ABSTRACT

 Histological and internal organ changes of broilers fed Aspilia Africana leaf meal was conducted -.4 using 120 Anak broilers in a completely randomized design. One hundred and twenty day old chicks were randomly assigned to Bur treatments designated T1 ,T2,T3,and T4. Thirty birds were assigned to each treatment and each treatment was replicated 3 times with 10 birds per replicate. The control (T1) had 0% Aspilia Africana leave while T2, T3 and T4 contained the dried Aspilia Africana leaves at 2.5% inclusion in their diet. The birds in T2were introduced to the experimental diet at the age of 2 weeks old, T3at 3 weeks and T4 at 4 weeks. Prior to the introduction of the experimental diet, the birds were maintained on the commercial starter diet. At 4 weeks, the control group was given finisher diet. Parameters evaluated were weekly body weight, iiitemal organs weight, carcass evaluation, haematology and histological changes of organs. The result showed that T2had significantly (P<0.05) lower weight of 0.3 7kg, 0.56kg and 0.80kg than T1, (0.55kg, 0.85kg and 1.18kg),T3(0.5 1kg, 0.74kg and 0.92kg) and T4(0.49kg, 0.81kg and 1.04kg), at weeks 3,4, and 5 respectively. At week 5, T2 (0.8Okg) and T3(0.92kg) had significantly lower weight than T1 (l.1kg) and T4(L04kg). The control (T1) had significantly higher (P><0.05) live weight (2.57kg), dressed weight (2.20kg), breast weight (4.66.67g) ,drumstick weight (633.33g) and Dress percentage (86.94%) than T2(2.07kg, 1.37kg, 222.28g, 400.55g and 66.18% respectively), 13 (2.00kg, 1.67kg, 285.50g, 458.23g and 83.50% respectively) and T4 (2.oOkg, 1.60kg, 324.17g. 426.18g and 80.00% respectively). Al:;o, the Liver, heart and Kidney weights of T1(57.00g, 13.73g and 3.43g respectively) were significantly higher (P><0.05) than those of T2 (46.88g, 10.70g and 2.15g respectively), T3 (42.92g, lO.14g and 1.72g respectively) and T4 (48.05g, 10.47g and l.9Og respectively). There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in the PCV, RBC and WBC among the treatments. The histology of the organ showed that the aspilia fed groups had damaged tissues with 12 showing higher degradation of organs. In conclusion, Aspilia Africana leaves had detrimental effects on the broiler although not toxic enough to kill them.