The effect of dietary inclusion of molasses on performance, haematology and blood chemistry of broiler chicks was investigated using 160 broiler chicks. The experiment was conducted for 9 weeks. The birds were fed diets containing various inclusion rates of molasses (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was replicated twice with twenty birds per replicate. Performance indices were measured weekly, while the mortality rate was calculated at the end of the study. At the end of the fifth week, 24 blood samples were collected (3 samples per replicate) and analysed for haematological indices: packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), red blood cells count (RBC) and white blood cells count (WBC). Sixteen blood samples were also collected (2 samples per replicate) and analysed for blood chemistry indices: total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urea, cholesterol, aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT). There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in daily feed intake, daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality. There were also non-significant differences (p>0.05) in RBC, WBC, albumin, ALP, urea, cholesterol, AST and ALT values among the birds fed all the diets. Significant differences (p
Key words: Blood, Breed, Diet, Physiology, Vaccination
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