Haematology and Serum Biochemistry of Pregnant West African Dwarf Goats Fed Diets Containing Microbial Treated Rice Husk as a Replacement for Maize
Abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of microbial treated rice husk as a replacement for Maize on the haematology and serum biochemical parameters of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats. Raw rice husk was subjected to solid-state fermentation using Alcaligenes faecalis, Aspergillus flavus, or a mixture of both. Forty West African Dwarf goats were randomly placed on four dietary treatments with ten goats per treatment. The treatments were 0% treated rice husk, 25% bacterial-treated, 25% fungi-treated and 50:50 bacterial + fungi treated rice husk diet. The animals were fed at 5% of their body weight. Blood samples of 10 ml were collected before morning feeding at the end of each trimester of gestation to analyze for haematology and biochemical components. Blood samples were taken before morning feeding via jugular vein puncture into a plain and an anticoagulant bottle. Packed Cell Volume, Haemoglobin, red blood cell and total white Blood Cells were determined. Mean Corpuscular volume, Mean Corpuscular haemoglobin and Mean Corpuscular haemoglobin concentration was calculated from Packed Cell Volume, haemoglobin and Red Blood Cell. Serum biochemical parameters measured include total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase parameters were determined. Goat fed the cocktail diet had better red blood cell, Packed Cell Volume, hemoglobin, platelet, eosinophil and aspartate aminotransferase but high in cholesterol level. Goat on bacterial-treated diet had the highest Total protein and better hemoglobin, Packed Cell Volume, platelet lymphocytes, aspartate aminotransferase and globulin content. The treated rice husk had positive impact on the blood parameters, the values are within the normal range for healthy goat. Hence, with the results of this study, the cocktail microbial treated rice husk replacement for Maize is suitable for better performance of WAD goats.
Key words: Haematology, Serum, Rice husk, Microbial, Maize, Pregnant WAD goats.
