TITLE:
Influence of Ocimum gratissium Leaves Supplement on Growth Indices and Blood Constituents of Goats Fed Sweet Potato Peels with Cashew Nut Shell
AUTHORS:
M. I. Okoruwa, C. A. Igene
KEYWORDS:
Potato Peels, Cashew Shell, Ocimum, Growth, Blood, Goats
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.5 No.4,
September
24,
2015
ABSTRACT: The study was carried out to determine the influence of sweet potato peels and cashew nut shell supplemented with Ocimum gratissium leaves, using growth indices and blood constituents by goats. Eighteen goats with an average weight of 8.11 kg and aged between 8 and 9 months old were allotted to three dietary treatments with six animals per treatment in a complete randomized design. The compared diets which comprised combination of sweet potato peels and cashew nut shell with concentrate respectively were in different ratios which included diet I (30:25:45), diet II (25:30:45) and diet III (20:35:45). Each goat also received 8 grams of Ocimum gratissium leaves as supplement in the diet. The results showed that average feed intake (6.42 kg) and fed conversion ratio (2.15) were highest in diet I and significantly different from other diets. Diet II had the highest significant (P 3/L), lymphocytes (56.01%), monocytes (1.06%), total protein (7.65 g/dl), albumin (3.58 g/dl), globulin (4.07 g/dl) and triglyceride (2.29 mmol/L). White blood cell (7.01 × 103/L), neutrophils (49.82%), cholesterol (42.34 mmol/L), creatnine (1.59 mg/dl) and urea (18.29 mg/dl) were (P