BIOCHEMICAL, HAEMATOLOGICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL STUDIES ON BROILER CHICKS FED SINGLE CELL PROTEIN BIOMASS BY PENICILLIUM EXPANSUM

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding diet containing single cell
protein of Penicillium expansum on broiler chicks. Single cell protein was used at a level of 10 %
dry mass mixed with basal diet, showed that weight gain improved for chicks. After four weeks
feeding trial, the chickens were slaughtered to study the carcass characteristics. The serum samples,
cellular portion of blood and the tissues of major organs were used for the biochemical,
hematological and histological analysis respectively. The hematological parameters particularly Hb
and RBC no longer influenced significantly (p>0.05) by diet effect except for WBC (p<0.05), lower
count in the chicks fed diet without SCP biomass. The serum enzymes (amylase, ALP, CPK p>0.05)
and LDH (p<0.05) were significantly higher in chicks diet supplemented with 10 % SCP except
GPT (p<0.05) and (GGT, GOT p>0.05) values did not significantly differ between these groups. The
waste metabolites (Urea, creatinine, Uric acid p>0.05), electrolytes (sodium, potassium,
bicarbonates calcium p>0.05 and chloride p<0.05) and main energy metabolism parameters
(cholesterol, triglycerides p>0.05) were not significantly affected by supplemented diet. The A/G
ratio (p<0.05) was significantly lower due to higher concentration of globulin (p<0.05) in chicks fed
supplemented with 10 % SCP biomass, while total protein (p>0.05) in both the groups having no
major change during growth. No pathological changes were observed in the organs (Liver, heart,
kidney and pancreas) of broiler chickens fed on single cell protein biomass. The chicks on single
cell protein based diet had blood profile; hematology and histology were comparable with the chicks
fed basal diet except the few parameters like enzymes (amylase, ALP, CPK, and LDH) and the
globulin. Consequently, we can suggest that the SCP of Penicillium expansum has a promoting
effect on the growth, weight gained and the death ratio of the chicks was rare.