Effect of defatted winged termite (Macrotermes natalensis) meal on growth performance, blood metabolites and bone morphology of broiler chickens during starter, grower and finisher phases

The current study was conducted to assess the effect of partial replacement of soyabean meal (SBM) (Glycine max) with defatted winged termite meal (WTM) (Macrotermes natalensis) inclusion levels on the performance, blood, and bone composition of Ross 308 broiler chickens in 42 days feeding trial. A total of 150 one-day-old, unsexed broiler chicks were allocated to 3 dietary treatments, replicated 5 times with 10 chickens per pen in a completely randomized design (CRD). Broilers were fed isonitrogenous, and iso-energetic experimental diets formulated to include WTM as follows: a control diet without WTM = WTM0; a basal broiler diet with 50g/kg of WTM = WTM5; a basal diet with 100g/kg of WTM = WTM10 to replace SBM. Average feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured at 1 to 14 days (starter), 15 to 28 days (grower) and 29 to 42 days (finisher). Hematology, serum biochemistry and right tibia bone traits of birds were determined on day 14, 28 and 42 in each growth phase. WTM inclusion had no effect (P > 0.05) on MR, BWG and FCR of broilers throughout the growth stages except FI that was higher (P< 0.05) in broilers fed WTM5 followed by WTM10 and WTM0 at starter phase. WTM inclusion had no (P> 0.05) influence on most hematology and serum parameters the growth period. However, elevated (P< 0.05) aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and bilirubin observed in chickens fed WTM5 than other groups at finisher phase. Dietary WTM inclusion had no influence (P> 0.05) on the majority of bone traits throughout the growth phase except bone density (TBD) that was higher (P< 0.05) in birds fed WTM5 than other treatment groups at starter phase whereas better (P< 0.05) bone breaking strength (BBS) was observed in birds on WTM5 compared to WTM0 and WTM10. It was concluded that WTM up to 10% could be partially included in diets without compromising growth performance, blood, and bone traits of Ross 308 broiler chickens during starter, grower and finisher phase.