181 International Journal of Veterinary Science www.ijvets.com P-ISSN: 2304-3075 E-ISSN: 2305-4360 editor@ijvets.com RESEARCH ARTICLE Effect of Molasses Supplementation on Live Weight Gain, Haematologic Parameters and Erythrocyte Osmotic Fragility of Broiler Chickens in the Hot-dry Season B Habibu* 1 , NM Ikira 2 , HU Buhari 2 , T Aluwong 1 , MU Kawu 1 , LS Yaqub 1 , M Tauheed 3 and HI Isa 3 1 Department of Veterinary Physiology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria 2 Samaru College of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria 3 Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Received: Revised: Accepted: June 13, 2014 July 19, 2014 August 05, 2014 The use of haematology as an index of health status is well known, just like the use of erythrocyte osmotic fragility and heterophil-lymphocyte ratio (H:L) as biomarker of oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of molasses supplementation through drinking water on live weight gain, haematologic parameters and erythrocyte osmotic fragility in 7-week-old broiler chickens during the heat stress of the hot-dry season. Thirty unsexed broiler chickens of Arbor acres strain were used for this study. At 4-week-old, the birds were randomly allotted to three groups of 10 birds each. Group I chickens served as control and were given only drinking water. Group II chickens were given 5 mL molasses and group III chickens 7 mL molasses per litre of drinking water. The percentage weight gain was higher (P<0.01) in group II and III chickens than control. Group III chickens had significantly higher mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (P<0.05) and mean corpuscular volume (P<0.01). Lymphocyte counts were higher in group II (P<0.01) and group III chickens (P<0.01), while neutrophil counts and H:L were lower in the treatment groups (P<0.01) as compared with control chickens. Group III chickens had significantly higher platelet count than control. At 0.1% NaCl, erythrocytes of both control and group III chickens were more fragile (P<0.01) than those of group II chickens. While, at 0.7% NaCl erythrocytes of control chickens were significantly more fragile than that of group III. Therefore, it was concluded that molasses increased live weight gain, enhanced haemopoiesis and ameliorated the effect of oxidative stress induced by the heat stress of the hot- dry season in 7-week-old broiler chickens. Key words: Broiler chickens Molasses Haematologic parameters Live weight Erythrocyte osmotic fragility *Corresponding Author B. Habibu buharihabibu@rocketmail.com Cite This Article as: Habibu B, NM Ikira, HU Buhari, T Aluwong, MU Kawu, LS Yaqub, M Tauheed and HI Isa, 2014. Effect of molasses supplementation on live weight gain, haematologic parameters and erythrocyte osmotic fragility of broiler chickens in the hot-dry season. Inter J Vet Sci, 3(4): 181-188. www.ijvets.com INTRODUCTION The poultry industry has mainly two branches, which are; egg and meat production. Studies have indicated that broiler enterprise has great potential for increasing protein supply in Nigeria (Ezeh et al., 2012). Of the three seasons in the northern Guinea savannah zone of Nigeria (Igono and Aliu, 1982; Dzenda et al., 2011), the hot-dry season is known to have the highest ambient temperature, long duration of sunshine and high relative humidity, making it thermally stressful to animals (Igono and Aliu, 1982; Oladele et al., 2001). Heat stress in birds increase oxidative damage to cell evidenced by decrease in weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency (Del Vesco et al., 2014). Molasses is the final effluent obtained in the preparation of sucrose by repeated evaporation, crystallization and centrifugation of juices from sugar cane or sugar beets (Curtin, 1983). Cane molasses is a viscous and dark coloured liquid which is rich in soluble carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals and other materials (Olbrich, 1963). Some of the mineral contents are; iron, zinc, copper, manganese, potassium, sodium and calcium. The vitamins belong to vitamin B complex including: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, panthothenic acid, biotin and choline. But molasses lacks vitamin C and has very low content of phosphorus (Curtin, 1983). Sugarcane molasses has several important roles in livestock feeding, due to the nutritive, appetizing and physical properties of its sugar content. However, toxicity of molasses has been reported