BLOOD PICTURES OF PULLETS TREATED WITH METHANOLIC AND AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF CUCUMIS METULIFERUS FRUITS AGAINST NEWCASTLE DISEASE KUDU 113 STRAIN

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Cucumis metuliferus fruit on blood pictures of pullets to determine the level of prevention and/or cure of Newcastle disease (NCD) in pullets. Ninety (90) pullets were used for the experiment. The pullets were divided into 9 groups of 10 birds per group, 4 prophylactic, 4 curative and one control group. For prophylactic groups aqueous extract of the fruit at concentration of 2.5g and 5.0g per litre of water and methanolic extract of the fruit at 75 and 50mg/l were given to the pullets ad-libitum for two weeks and then challenged with Newcastle disease virus kudu 113 strain via intra ocular route. For curative groups the pullets were challenged with the virus and then treated with the aqueous extracts of the fruits at the same concentrations. The results showed that methanolic extract of C. metuliferus at
concentration of 75mg/l showed superior prophylactic ability recording higher Packed cell volume (PCV), Red blood cell (RBC) count as well as higher White blood cell (WBC) activity with a statistically significant (p<0.05) difference when compared with control and other groups and also exhibited very good promise as a cure as it recorded better indices than all groups. The results showed proof that C. metuliferus does improve haematologic parameters in pullets and it was thus recommended that methanolic extract of C. metuliferus at 75mg/l can be usedfor the control of NCD to farmers and that further studies be conducted to isolate the active ingredients of C. metuliferus responsible for these findings.