Abstract:
Haematological values and blood urea nitrogen level
s of growing Uda lambs fed fore-
stomach 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% FS
D and 6.67% PLW). The experiment
lasted for 84 days. Blood samples were collected pr
ior to and after the feeding trial for haematologic
al
and blood urea nitrogen determination. Initial pack
ed 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, an
d E while final HB concentration was similar
(P>0.05) for those on treatments B, C, and E. Initi
al and final values of neutrophil and lymphocyte
counts were not significantly different (P>0.05) fo
r all treatments. There were no traces of eosinophi
ls
at the end of the feeding trial while monocyte coun
ts were not significantly different (P>0.05) at the
beginning and end of the feeding trial. Total prote
in showed no significant difference in all the
treatments at initial and final collections of bloo
d. 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 wi
th the feeding of FSD and PLW alone or in mixtures
to growing lambs. It was concluded that the test di
ets were not toxic to animals based on the
haematological indices and blood biochemical parame
ters which were within recommended values.
