Performance, haematology, and blood chemistry of broiler chickens fed diets having reduced energy and protein with or without baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

The role of baker’s yeast in poultry performance when fed a standard diet is well known. However, its effect on broiler chickens fed low-nutrient diets is lacking in literature. The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance, haematology, and blood chemistry of broiler chickens fed a reduced energy and protein (REP) diet with or without baker’s yeast supplementation. Two hundred (200) Ross 308 broiler chickens were used in a 6-week feeding trial. The birds were divided into four groups having five replicates of ten birds each. Each group was assigned to one experimental diet in a completely randomized design. The four experimental groups include the control group fed a diet having recommended energy and protein without baker’s yeast; the REPY0 group fed REP diet without baker’s yeast; the REPY0.2 group fed REP diet with 0.20% baker’s yeast; and the REPY0.4 group fed REP diet with 0.40% baker’s yeast. The REPY0 and REPY0.2 groups had the poorest (p < 0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI), final live weight (FLW), average daily weight gain (ADWG), and FCR compared to those in the control and the REP0.4 groups. There was no difference in the mortality recorded across the treatment groups. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences in white blood cell, red blood cell, heamoglobin, lymphocyte, heterophils, H/L ratio, platelets, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular heamoglobin concentration, and mean corpuscular heamoglobin values across the dietary groups. There was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in packed cell volume (PCV) of birds fed REPY0 and REPY0.2 diets. However, this decrease in values was improved in the REPY0.4 group. There was a decrease (p < 0.05) in the total protein, globulin, and glucose values of birds in the REPY0 and REPY0.2 groups compared to the control group. However, an improvement was noticed when 0.40% baker’s yeast was added to the REP diet. It was concluded that the addition of 0.40% baker’s yeast could ameliorate the decrease observed in performance as well as PCV, serum total protein, globulin, and glucose values of finisher broiler chickens fed REP diet.