Anthelmintic Effects of Betel Nut to Free-Range Chicken

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Processed Betel Nut as an anthelmintic to Free-Range Chickens. The research employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and utilized 90 heads of uniformed experimental free–range chickens. The experimental birds were divided into 5 treatment combinations replicated thrice as follows: C- (pure water), C+ (commercial anthelmintic), S1L1 (Betel nut extract (10ml), S1L2 (Betel nut extract (20ml), S1L3 – Betel nut extract (30ml). The anthelmintic effect was observed during days 1,2,3,7,14,21, and 28 of the study. Prior to the allotment of the birds, fecal samples were collected after 21 days of rearing for pre-fecalysis to ensure that all of these were infected with internal parasites. After this, administration of the different treatments was done. This was followed by the collection of fecal samples on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 after the administration of the different treatments. The fecal samples collected were given a drop of lactic acid solvent and placed in properly labeled plastic bags. Direct Fecal Smear (DFS) was used in examining the fecal samples collected  Results revealed that betel nuts at 20ml level were the best on the growth performance. Betel nut at 30ml level was comparable to that of the experimental birds in commercial anthelmintic. It is then recommended the utilization of betel nut at 20 ml in terms of growth performance and betel nut at 30 ml as herbal anthelmintic to free-range chickens.