Antioxidative effect of mistletoe leaf meal supplemented diets in laying pullets.

The present study was conducted to examine the antioxidant potential of African mistletoe (Viscum album L.) as alternative feed additive for Laying Pullets. Fresh African mistletoe leaves were harvested from cocoa trees and shade dried to constant weight. The leaves were grounded and were designated as mistletoe leaf meal (AMLM). Total of sixty ISA Brown pullets at 18 weeks old were randomly allocated to four dietary treatment consisting of 5 replicates with 3 birds per replicate, when egg production was 4% in a completely randomized design. The birds were fed layer ration and dietary mistletoe supplement as treatments T1 (basal diet + 0% AMLM), T2 (basal diet + 2% AMLM), T3 (basal diet + 4%AMLM) and T4 (basal diet + 6%AMLM) during 16 week feeding trial. At 8th week and end of the feeding trial, blood samples were collected through the Jugular vein into a sample bottle from all birds for serum oxidative indicator assay; malondialdehyde (mMDA/mgprotein), total antioxidant activity (mmol/litre), glutathione peroxidase (GPx, μgGSH/ min/mgprotein), superoxide dismutase (SOD, U/min/mg protein) and catalase (nmH2O2/min/ mg protein) using standard procedures. The result obtained revealed that at 8 weeks of lay, lipid peroxidation in laying pullets were significantly (P<0.05) lowered by mistletoe supplementation while total antioxidant activity of significantly (P<0.05) increased with mistletoe inclusion. Pullets fed 6% mistletoe supplemented diets significantly (P<0.05) enhanced catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity. Total antioxidant activity and all antioxidant enzymes of laying pullets increased, as laying cycle progresses, while lipid peroxidation reduced. This could signify that laying pullets have better antioxidative stability at 16 weeks of lay compared than pullets at 8weeks of lay. It can be concluded that African mistletoe leaf meal inclusion in laying pullets diet enhance antioxidant profile in pullets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]