Blood profile of West African dwarf goats fed Panicum maximum supplemented with Afzelia africana and Newbouldia laevis

Abstract

The haematological and biochemical status of twenty West African dwarf goats fed Panicum maximum supplemented with foliage from Afzelia africana and Newbouldia laevis was investigated. Values for PCV, Hb concentration and RBC count differed significantly (P < 0.05) between the diets. Average PCV value was highest in 25Nwb:75Pm diet and least in 25Afz:75Pm diet. Hb concentration was significantly higher in diet 25Nwb:75Pm than in diet 25Afz:75Pm but not different from all the other dietary treatments. RBC counts observed differed between the dietary treatments. Apart from the values obtained for sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, total protein and aspartate transaminase, differences between the measured biochemical parameters were not significant (P > 0.05) between the diets. Sodium was highest in 25Afz:75Pm diet and varied significantly (P < 0.05) compared to 50Nwb:50Pm diet. Potassium in the serum of the studied animals was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in 25Afz:75Pm diet than in 25Nwb:75Pm and 100Pm (control) diets but did not differ from diets 50Afz:50Pm and 50Nwb:50Pm. In terms of total protein level, only the 100Pm (control) diet differed significantly from the supplemented diets. Activities of the enzymes alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase in the sampled sera did not vary between the diets except for aspartate transaminase where, only the 50Nwb:50Pm diet differed from the other diets. These results to a large extent suggest the positive potential of the studied plant leaves in the feeding of goats without adverse effects. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2007.