HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF WEANED RABBIT FED VARYING INCLUSION LEVEL OF ACID SOAKED AFRICAN YAM BEAN BASE DIET

Résumé

A total of thirty two weaner rabbits were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments and fed for 56days on diets containing acid soaked African yam bean to investigate the haematological indices of weaned rabbits fed diets containing African yam bean soaked in acidic medium at 0 (control), 5, 10, 15% level of inclusion. There was significant (P>0.05) difference in all the parameters measured. Rabbits on T4 had the highest value of PCV (28.5%) and haemoglobin (9.15) with statistical similarities existing in PCV value of rabbits on T1 and T2. Rabbits on TI had the highest value of RBC (4.66), lymphocyte (70.5%) and platelets with similarities existing in RBC value of rabbits on T2 and T3. Rabbits on T3 had the highest value of Heterophil (32.5%) and eosinophil (2.50%). WBC value of rabbits on T2 was the highest (8725) with rabbits on T4 having the lowest WBC value (5725). It can be concluded that African yam bean soaked in acidic medium can be fed to rabbits up to 15% level of inclusion without having any negative effects on the haematological indices of the rabbits.