Abstract:
Thc
study
was
conducted
to evaluate
the
haematological
parameters
and
blood
urea
nitrogen
(BUN)
of
growing
sheep
fed
varying
levels
of fore-stomach
digesta
replacing
cowpea
husk
at 0 (control),
10,
20,
30
and
40%
levels
designated
as treatments
1, 2,3,4
and
5 respectively.
PCV
values
decreased
in treat-
ments
1-4
at the
end
of the
feeding
trial
with
treatment
2 being
the
most
significantly
affected
(P<0.05).
Significant
increase
(P<0.05)
in PCV
was
recorded
only
for
animals
on
treatment
5. Hb
and
monocytes
tended
to decline
not
significantly
(p>O.05)
from
treatments
1-5.
RBC
increased
in all
treatments
with
treatments
1 and
3 recording
the
highest
significant
(p<0.05)
increase.
Neutrophils
were
significantly
lowest
(p<0.05)
in treatment
2 compared
to others.
Lymphocytes
and
Eosinophils
were
significantly
higher
(P<O.05)
for
animals
on
treatments
2 and
5 respectively
compared
to those
on
the
other
treat-
ments.
Total
proteins
and
albumins
were
not
significantly
affected
(p>0.05)
by
the
inclusion
of FSD
in
the
diets
of the
animals.
However,
urea
concentration
and
globulin
were
affected
with
treatment
1
giving
significantly
(P<0.05)
the
highest
urea,
while
treatments
2 and
3 gave
significantly
(P<O.05)
the
highest
globulin
compared
to others.
No
ill-health
problem
was
encountered
as a result
offeeding
FSD
to the
growing
sheep.