Haematobiochemical Response of Red Sokoto Bucks Fed Different Processed Forms of Piliostigma reticulatum Pods

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to examine the haematological and serum biochemical response of Red Sokoto bucks fed with different processed forms of Piliostigma reticulatum pods.  A completely randomised design (CRD) was used with three treatments designated as: T1 (control), T2 and T3 replicated four times for twelve weeks. Feed and water were offered ad libitum. The data were analysed using the General Linear Model of SAS (2002) version 9.13. The result indicated that there were no significant (P>0.05) differences in packed cell volume (PCV) (27.40 – 29.90 %), haemoglobin (Hb) (9.35 - 11.10 g/dL), white blood cells WBC (104.00 - 120.70×10⁹), Lymphocyte (91.55 – 93.40%), Monocyte (0.00 – 0.10%), Basophil (0.25 - 0.50%), Eosine (0.45 – 0.65%), Platelet (119.00 – 129.00).  However, other haematological indices were significantly (p<0.05) different across the treatments. red blood cells (RBC) (10.00 – 14.50× 10^12/L), Mean corpuscular volume (35.11 – 38.32fl), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (8.90 – 10.60pg) Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (31.27 – 38.95pg). Also, most of the serum biochemical indices; Na⁺_, K⁺, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, total protein, bicarbonate (HCO₃), aspartate aminotranferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphate (ALP) were significantly (p<0.05) different, while chloride ion (Cl^-), total and conjugated bilirubin were similar (p>0.05) across the treatments.   Altogether, they were within the normal range for healthy red Sokoto bucks. Thus, implied that inclusion of Piliostigma reticulatum pod meal in the diets of red Sokoto bucks has no deleterious effect on their haematological indices; therefore, heath status may not be impaired.