MVSc

Enhancement of total production without compromising aspects of
wholesomeness and subject Iconsumer lenvironmental safety of the produce
forms the new challenge of Indian poultry industry. Since nutrition is the single
largest external factor affecting performance of the stock and accounting lion
share of the input cost, nutritional manipulations have widely been used to take
up this challenge. Especially in the wake of set backs from potential residual
hazards of anabolic steroids used as growth promoting feed additives, use of
certain blue green algae as dietary supplement offers more innocuous organic
alternatives, for being safe to the subject, consumers and environment.
Owing to their success in human health with anabolic and therapeutic
effects cyanobacteria, the blue green algae, are being tried in livestock/poultry
production as well. Spirulina is rich in protein, vitamins and provitamins such as
carotenoids, and minerals. Protein from spirulina is believed to be highly
digestible due to the lack of a cell wall; it contains 18 amino acids, major ones
being lysine, arginine, threonine, methionine and phenylalanine. High levels of
arginine is normally believed to be insulinogenic, indirectly through stimulation
of growth hormone secretion
The present study forms part of an exploration of growth promoting and
fertility augmenting aspects of one of the popular species of blue green algae,
Spirulina platensis, envisaging evaluation of its influence on haematological,
biochemical and fertility parameters of Austra-white male chicken, when used as
a dietary supplement. Thirty-two numbers of eight-week-old Austra-white male
chickens were reared under standard management conditions in battery cages in
Department of Physiology, College Of Veterinary and Animal Sciences. The
birds were selected randomly and divided into two groups, G I (control) and G 11
(spirulina supplemented) comprising of sixteen birds in each. Birds of group G I

were solely fed with standard layer rution und formed lhe controls in the
experiment while birds of G 1I group were fed layer ration with dietary
supplementation of Spirulina platensis at the level of 2.5% of feed. Both rations
were made isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Feed and water were provided to birds
ad libitum.
Body weight of the birds was taken at monthly intervals from initial
period (eight week of age) to thirty-two weeks of age. Blood was collected at
monthly intervals from third to eighth months of age. Estimation of
haematological parameters comprised total erythrocyte count (TEC),
haemoglobin content (Hb), volume of packed red cells (VPRC), erythrocyte
sedimentation rate (ESR) and total leukocyte count (TLC). Erythrocytic indices
were calculated from the estimated values of TEC, Hb and VPRC. Biochemical
profile of plasma included estimation of total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin
globulin (A: G) ratio (protein profile), cholesterol, triglycerides, total lipids (lipid
profile), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and bilirubin at monthly intervals from third
to eighth month. Plasma antioxidant status was assessed by estimating catalase
enzyme activity and lipid peroxidation level. Semen was collected at twenty-
fourth, twenty-eighth and thirty-second weeks of age. Semen evaluation was
done by observing the motility, mass activity, semen volume, methylene blue
reduction time (MBRT), percentage of live sperms (differential staining and hypo
osmolarity swelling) and heat and cold shock resistance tests in the collected
semen samples. Birds were sacrificed at thirty-two weeks of age and the relative
organ weight of liver,' spleen, pancreas and testes was estimated. Lipid
peroxidation level of homogenized samples of liver, spleen, pancreas and testes
were also estimated. The data were statistically analysed using appropriate tests.
Body weight of birds fed with spirulina (G II group) was significantly
higher when compared to control (G I group). Relative organ weight also showed
a significantly higher relative weight for spleen, pancreas and testes. The birds of
G II group tSpirulina platensis- fed) showed a significantly higher values of
TEC, Hb concentration, VPRC and TLC compared to control (G I group) birds.

The value of ESR was significantly lower for the spirulina fed group. Plasma
protein profile indicated a significant higher concentration of total protein,
albumin and globulin levels in spirulina-fed group. Plasma lipid profile had a low
total lipid and cholesterol level in spirulina fed birds of G II group when
compared to the controls in G I group. However, the triglyceride levels was
significantly higher for spirulina fed birds (G II group). Plasma concentrations of
BUN and bilirubin were also significantly higher for G 11 group. The results
indicated a strong haematopoietic effect of spirulina and its usefulness as a
protein rich nutritional supplement for poultry.
Plasma antioxidant activity was significantly higher for G II group in the
sense that the spirulina fed group showed an increased blood catalase activity and
a decreased plasma lipid peroxidation levels. Estimation of peroxidation level in
homogenised samples of liver and testes also had a significantly lower
peroxidation level in birds of G 11 group. Results underlined the strong
antioxidant capacity of spirulina.
Semen evaluation studies revealed a significantly higher semen volume,
motility, and percentage of live sperms in semen samples from birds of G II
group (spirulina fed) when compared to G I group. Semen samples from G II
group also showed a significantly lower methylene blue reduction time compared
to G I group. Heat and cold shock resistance test failed to show any significant
difference between the two groups. Results indicated the fertility augmenting
property of spirulina.
The present study is consistent with earlier reports of growth promoting
and erythropoietic effects of spirulina. Free radical scavenging effect of this
species of alga has caused a marked increase in the antioxidant status of the
subjects, congruent with earlier findings. Additionally, this is the first publication
to report indications of a fertility augmenting effect of this alga in male birds.
However, confirmation of the latter effect needs further investigation, preferably
with insemination studies.