HAEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS FED CORNCOBS ENSILED WITH CASSAVA PEELS

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the haematological response of West African Dwarf goat fed ensiled corncobs and cassava peels. Fifteen West African Dwarf goats with average initial body weight of 7.0940. 1kg and 6-7months old were balanced for weight and fed cassava peels (CPL) ,and ensiled corncobs (CC)in five different combinations as treatments, to determine their haematological response to the diets. Goats were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three animals per treatment. The dietary treatments were as follows; (T1)100% corncobs (CC), T2 (100%cassava peels), T3 (S0%CPL+50%CC); (T4)25%corncobs+ 75 %cassava peels ; (15) 75%corncobs+ 25Ycassava peels. The crude protein value obtained were;4.53% , 7.83% , 9.04% , 8.81% , 6.34% respectively.T3 shows the highest value while Tlshows the lowest value of crude protein. At the end of the experiment, two goats were randomly selected from each treatment and bled via jugular vein. It was observed that T3 recorded the highest values in Packed cell volume (27.00%), Haemoglobin (8.95), Red blood cell (4.36) and Neutrophils (31.50). Values obtained for white blood cell, Neutrophils, eosinophyl and lymphocytes in this study were all within the normal range for clinically healthy goats. Results obtained indicated that the WAD goats possess protection sysiem, providing a rapid and potent defence against any infection. Therefore, goats can be fed with mixture of ensiled corncobs and cassava peels at 50% each without any detrimental effects.