Haematological Indices of Growing Rabbits Fed Herbaceous Plants as Sole Diet

Abstract

Competition between humans and animals for food is inevitable since some feed stuffs used as animal feed are also consumed by humans. Therefore, suitable alternatives for animal feed are compelling. This study was conducted with 32 mixed bred (New Zealand white and Chinchilla) growing rabbits (16 bucks and 16 does of 7 to 8 weeks old and of average weight 1.03kg) for a period of seven (7) weeks to assess haematological indices of rabbits fed herbaceous plants as sole diet. The rabbits were completely randomized into Corchorus olitorius (T1), Moringa oleifera (T2) and Telfairia occidentalis (T3) and commercial feed as the control diet (T0), with each treatment having eight rabbits, in four replicates of two rabbits per replicate. Blood samples were collected pre and post exposure to the treatment. Haematological parameters assayed were packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was carried out for the assessment of the variations in these parameters. The values obtained (Mean ± SD) for each blood parameter pre-exposure to the treatment were within the normal physiological range of healthy rabbit, except the value of the Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) which was lower than the normal physiological range. Blood indices assayed for, post exposure to treatment showed significant difference (P < 0.05) in the Mean corpuscular hemoglobin. Based on the data from the haematological parameters. It was concluded that Corchorus olitorius could solely sustain rabbits with no adverse effect on their well being.