Haematological and Biochemical Indices of Growing Lambs Fed Fore-Stomach Digesta and Poultry Litter Waste

Abstract

Haematological values and blood urea nitrogen levels of growing Uda lambs fed forestomach digesta (FSD) and poultry litter waste (PLW) were studied. The experimental animals were randomly allotted (n=4/treatments) to diets A (20% FSD), B (20% PLW), C (10% each of FSD and PLW), D (6.67% FSD and 13.33% PLW) and E (13.33% FSD and 6.67% PLW). The experiment lasted for 84 days. Blood samples were collected prior to and after the feeding trial for haematological and blood urea nitrogen determination. Initial packed cell volume and final red blood cell counts were not significantly different between treatments (P>0.05). Initial haemoglobin concentration (HB) was
similar (P>0.05) to those on treatments A, C, D, and E while final HB concentration was similar (P>0.05) for those on treatments B, C, and E. Initial and final values of neutrophil and lymphocyte counts were not significantly different (P>0.05) for all treatments. There were no traces of eosinophils at the end of the feeding trial while monocyte counts were not significantly different (P>0.05) at the beginning and end of the feeding trial. Total protein showed no significant difference in all the treatments at initial and final collections of blood. Similar results were observed for albumin and globulin concentrations. Haematological values and blood urea nitrogen were within normal values; indicating that there was no toxicity associated with the feeding of FSD and PLW alone or in mixtures to growing lambs. It was concluded that the test diets were not toxic to animals based on the haematological indices and blood biochemical parameters which were within recommended values.

Key Words: Lambs, Fore-Stomach Digesta, Poultry Litter Waste