Haematological and Serum Biochemical Characteristics of Rabbit Bucks Fed Diets Containing Garcinia Kola Seed Meal

Abstract

The effect of diets containing Garcinia kola seed meal on blood characteristics of 36 growing rabbit bucks of about 3 months old were investigated in an experiment that lasted for 3 months. The animals were randomly assigned to 3 treatments of 3 replicates each. Three experimental diets, T₁, (control; containing 0 % G. kola seed meal), T₂ (2.5 % G. kola seed meal) and T₃ (5 % G. kola seed meal) were administered ad libitum to the animals. The haematological parameters evaluated were; packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC) and differentials. There were significant (P<0.05) proliferation of total WBC and lymphocyte counts in T₂ than in T₁ and T₃ which were similar (P>0.05). Serum biochemical analysis of total protein, albumin, globulin, aspartate amino transaminase (AST), alanine amino transaminase (ALT) and alanine phosphate (ALP), recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher aspartate amino transaminase (AST) in T₂ (81.67+ 4.41 IU/L) than in T₁ (61.0+2.52 IU/L) and T₃ (68, 67+ 3.48 IU/L) which were similar (P>0.05). Alanine amino transaminase (ALT) were similar (P>0.05) in T₂ (59.0+2.65 IU/L) and T₃ (54.0+1.0 IU/L) but significantly (P<0.05) higher than T₁ (42.33+4.63 IU/L). The results of this study indicate that G. kola seed meal increases lymphocyte count in rabbit bucks which also gives rise to a corresponding total white blood cell count. Serum biochemical characteristics showed a possible mild organ degenerations as evident in the significant (P<0.05) increase in aspartate amino transaminase (AST) and alanine amino transaminase (ALT) of animals consuming diets containing Garcinia kola seed meal.

Keywords: Garcinia kola, haematological, biochemical, rabbits.