HAEMATOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY OF CLARIAS GARIEPINUS FED ASPERGILLUS BRASILIENSIS FERMENTED PALM KERNEL SLUDGE IN REPLACEMENT OF MAIZE

Abstract

This study assessed the haematology and histopathology of Clarias gariepinus fed Aspergillus brasiliensis fermented Palm Kernel Sludge (AbfPKS) in replacement of maize. The AbfPKS was used to replace maize at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Polyzyme (commercial enzyme) was added to the sixth treatment containing unfermented PKS. The experiment was a completely randomised design and data obtained was analysed using ANOVA at α0.05. Means observed were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The packed cell volume (PCV) of fish fed AbfPKS ranged between 16.33±0.58% and 29.00±1.00%. Highest haemoglobin (Hb) was recorded in fish fed diet 5Ab (9.63±0.23gm%) while least Hb was recorded in fish fed diet 2Ab (5.30±0.17gm%). The WBC varied from 6.27±1.40 (x 109/L) to 10.53±0.83 (x 109/L). Platelets ranged between 4.00±0.00 (x 109/L) to 8.67±1.15 (x 109/L). The ESR significantly (p<0.05) increased as inclusion of AbfPKS increased in the diet of fish. Histopathological observations on liver, kidney and intestine of fish fed AbfPKS showed that livers of experimental fish had hepatocellular degeneration and necrosis of hepatocytes. Fish fed dietary treatments did not have any observable lesion in their intestines. Fish fed dietary treatments had necrosis, tubular epithelial degeneration with atrophy of tubules present in their kidneys. Pathological signs observed in liver of experimental fish were not as a result of feeding on AbfPKS because these signs were also observed in fish not fed AbfPKS. Feeding on AbfPKS did not cause any observable lesion in the intestine of all experimental fish.