Blood profile of West African dwarf goats fed Panicum maximum supplemented with Newbouldia laevis leaves

Abstract

Sixteen male West African dwarf goat kids of between 9 to 15 months old were used in a 90-day feeding trial to determine the effect of  supplementing Newbouldia laevis with Panicum maximum on the  haematology and blood biochemical constituent. The goats were randomly divided into four groups of four animals per group. Each group was individually fed one of the four treatment which include 100 %PM, 75 %PM: 25 %NL, 50 %PM: 50 %NL and 25 %PM: 75 %NL in a completely  randomized design. White blood cell count, haemoglobin, mean  corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, cholesterol, alkaline phosphate transaminase and alanine phosphate transaminase were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the treatments while Pack cell volume, Red blood cell count and mean corpuscular volume were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced. Although some of the blood parameters differ significantly they were within the normal range for normal healthy goats therefore it could be concluded that supplementing Newbouldia laevis with Panicum maximum had no adverse effect on the blood profile of the experimental goats.

Keywords: Blood profile, West African Dwarf Goats, Panicum maximum and Newbouldia laevis