HAEMATO-BIOCHEMICAL RESPONSE OF GROWING RABBITS FED BOILED AFRICAN STAR APPLE (CHRYSOPHYLLUM ALBIDUM) KERNEL MEAL AS REPLACEMENT FOR MAIZE IN THE DIET

Abstract

The effect of dietary boiled African star apple kernel meal (BASAKM) as substitute for dietary maize on haemato-biochemical indices of growing rabbits were investigated. Seventy five 35-d old crossbreed (New Zealand x California white) rabbits weighing 591.00±0.15 g were allotted to 5 treatments (15 rabbits per treatment; 5 rabbits per replicate) in a completely randomized design. Five experimental diets (pelleted; 3 mm diameter and 6 mm in length) were formulated such that BASAKM replaced dietary maize at 0 %, 25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 % in rabbit diets (Diets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively). A control diet (diet 1) had crude protein: 17 %, crude fibre: 10.35 %, metabolizable energy: 2647.50 kcal/kg. The study lasted for 56-d. At 91 d of age, the neutrophil level of rabbits fed diets 2, 3 and 4 decreased significantly compared to those fed the control diet (-5.20 %, -3.65 % and -9.69 %, respectively; P=0.0384. Results indicate that growing rabbits could tolerate BASAKM in their diets without adverse effect on haemato-biochemical indices of growing rabbits.