Hematological Indices and Growth Performance Studies of Albino Rats Fed Bioprocessed and Non-Bioprocessed Bambara Groundnut (Vigna Subterranean (L) Verdc.)

Abstract

The hematologic indices and growth performance of albino rats that was fed bioprocessed and non-bioprocessed bambara groundnut was studied to ascertain its suitability for use as food and feed. Among the 3 groups of albino rats used for the study; group A was fed diet 1 (control), while group B and C was fed the experimental diets 2 and 3 (non-bioprocessed and bioprocessed bambara groundnut) respectively. When hematological indices obtained from all the groups were compared, only group 2 had a significant (p ˂ 0.05) increasing effect on the red blood cell (RBC), packed cell volume (PVC) and hemoglobin (Hb) counts; however, the counts obtained for all the groups where within hematologic reference range for rats, thus could not indicate or give specific information about infections, toxicity, allergy, immune-suppression or poisoning. When values for feed intake, weight gain, protein efficiency ratio, biological value and net protein unit were compared, rats fed basal had the highest feed consumption (286.10g); while feed intake varied for rats fed non-bioprocessed and bioprocessed samples with values of 209.50 and 191.30g respectively. The study observed that weight gain of rats was proportional to feed intake but when results for protein efficiency ratio, biological value and net protein unit were compared; the highest PER value was obtained for diet 1 followed by diet 3 and the BV values for the test groups fed diets 2 and 3 were comparable while diet 2 showed a much higher values for NPU. However, dietary nitrogen (DN) was used as an index of diet quality to ascertain nitrogen intake, fecal and urinary nitrogen, digested and retained nitrogen of the albino rats.

Keywords: Bioprocess, Bambara Groundnut, Hematology, Growth Performance