EFFECTS OF RED SEAWEED (GRACILARIA TENUISTIPITATA) ON HAEMATOLOGICAL AND SERUM BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN COMMERCIAL BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effects of graded dietary  inclusion of red seaweed (Gracilaria tenuistipitata) on haematological and serum biochemical parameters in commercial broiler chickens. A total of 200 day-old Vencobb 430Y broiler chicks were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with five replicates of ten birds each. The experimental diets consisted of a basal ration supplemented with red seaweed at 0% (T1, control), 1% (T2), 2% (T3), and 4% (T4) and were fed for 35 days. The shade- dried red seaweed was analyzed for chemical composition and contained 11.87% crude protein, 6.41% crude fibre, 0.72% crude fat, 47.20% crude ash, 2.47% calcium, 0.33% phosphorus, and 2347.10 kcal/kg gross energy, with palmitic (26.72%), oleic (31.16%), and linoleic acids (21.56%) as the predominant fatty acids. Haematological parameters, including haemoglobin concentration, total erythrocyte count, and total leucocyte count, did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) among treatment groups. Similarly, serum biochemical indices such as total protein, albumin, globulin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cholesterol, and triglycerides remained unaffected by dietary treatments. These findings indicate that dietary supplementation of red seaweed up to 4% maintains normal blood profiles, liver function, protein metabolism, and lipid homeostasis without inducing adverse metabolic effects. The study demonstrates that G. tenuistipitata can be safely incorporated into broiler diets as a functional, non-conventional feed ingredient.