[1]
NseAbasi NsikakAbasi Etim, Department of Animal Science, Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campus, Oruk Anam L.G.A., Nigeria.
[2]
Udo Herbert, Department of Animal Breeding and Physiology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
[3]
Mary Anthony Oguike, Department of Animal Breeding and Physiology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.
Haematological parameters of West African Dwarf rams administered with aqueous Aspilia africana extract were examined. Twenty-four (24) West African Dwarf rams aged 6-9 months with average weight of 4.65kg were used for the study. The experiment was in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The rams were randomly divided into four treatment groups with six rams per treatment group and balanced for weight. Each treatment was replicated 3 times with 2 rams per replicate. Rams in treatment 1 ((T1; control)) received 10ml of distilled water, while those in T2, T3 and T4 received orally, 1000mg/kg body weight (BW), 2000mg/kg BW and 3000mg/kg BW of aqueous Aspilia africana extract, respectively. Rams in all the treatment were fed 2kg of forages and 500g of the same concentrate diet daily. Blood samples were collected and analysed pre-, during and post-experiment. The results obtained revealed significant differences (P<0.05) in most of the parameters measured during experiment and post-experiment. Dose dependent increases in values were observed for the rams administered with the extract (T2, T3, and T4), in which T4 had the highest mean values in Packed Cell Volume (36.50%), Haemoglobin (12.75g/dl), Red Blood Cell counts (12.50x106/mm3), Mean Corpuscular Volume (29.23fl), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (34.93%), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (10.21pg), White Blood Cell counts (8.50x109/mm3); lymphocytes (74.50%). Treatment 1 (control group) had the lowest mean values in Packed Cell Volume (29.50%), Haemoglobin (10.00g/dl), Red Blood Cell counts (9.00x106/mm3), Mean Corpuscular Volume (33.25fl), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (33.91%), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (11.25pg), White Blood Cell counts (6.25x109/mm3); lymphocytes (70.00%). Treatment 1 had highest mean value for neutrophils (23.00) while treatment 4 had the least (18.00). The results obtained post-experiment followed similar trend as those during experiment with T4recording the highest significant mean values (P<0.05) for all the parameters except neutrophil. The high and significant increase in haematological parameters of rams administered with aqueous Aspilia africana extract is an indication that it has the potential to improve blood parameters of sheep and could serve as a very useful agent in the management of anaemia in sheep. Upto 3000mg/kg BW of A. africana is recommended for rams.
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