Serum Lipid Profile Antioxidant Enzyme Activities and Liver Function Indices of Isa Brown Laying Hens Fed Diets Containing Microbially Fermented Cassava Peel and Stump Blends

The rising cost of maize has increased interest in alternatives to dietary maize in poultry feeds. This study evaluated the effects of replacing 80% of dietary maize with microbially fermented cassava peel–stump blends on serum lipid profiles, liver function indices and antioxidant enzyme activities in ISA Brown laying hens. Two hundred 16-week-old pullets were assigned to four treatments: T1 (maize-based control), T2 (⅔ stumps + ⅓ peels), T3 (⅓ stumps + ⅔ peels), and T4 (equal proportions), with 50 birds per treatment. The cassava peel–stump blends were fermented for 5 days using Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404. At 56 weeks, blood samples from five (randomly selected) birds per treatment were analysed. Treatments significantly (p < 0.05) affected high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). HDL was higher in T2 (83.62 mg/dL) and T4 (114.63 mg/dL) than in T1 (53.21 mg/dL) and T3 (65.24 mg/dL). VLDL was higher in cassava-based treatments (111.43–125.94 mg/dL), while total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein did not differ significantly (p > 0.05). Liver function indices, including AST, ALT, ALP, albumin, globulin and total protein, were significantly affected (p < 0.05). Catalase activity was highest in T2 (0.33 mM/ml/min) and lowest in T1 (0.13 mM/ml/min) (p = 0.002), whereas superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were unaffected (p > 0.05). The T2 blend may be a promising alternative to dietary maize in layer nutrition, although further investigation of liver function responses is warranted.