Department of Dairy Science - Scholarly Publications
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Item HAEMATO-BIOCHEMICAL INDICES OF RED SOKOTO GOATS FED VARIOUS LEVELS OF EARTHWORM MEAL-BASED DIETS(OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences, 2025) Belewu, Moshood Adewale; Olafadehan, Olurotimi Ayobami; Oyerinde, Akeem Abolade; Imam, Ridwan OlarewajuBlood is essential to life and it is vital for the transportation of oxygen from the lungs to every cell of the body for metabolism purposes. Hence, blood samples were collected from thirty (30) healthy Red Sokoto goats fed an earthworm meal-based diet with ten goats per treatment constituting a replicate in a Completely Randomized design model to evaluate the influence of various levels of Earthworm Meal (EWM) based diets [Control diet (A) 0% EWM), 3% (B) and 6% (C)] on their haemato-biochemical profile. Blood samples were drawn from the jugular vein of the experimental animals on the last day of the study for the determination of hematology parameters [Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red Blood Cell (RBC) count, White Blood Cell (WBC) count, neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCH]. The Serum indices [Glucose, ALT, AST, ALP, Total Protein, Albumin, Globulin] were also assessed. All haematobiochemical procedures were determined following the standard methods. The results showed significant variations (p<0.05) in the PVC and MCHC which ranged from 23.30-38.33 and 31.33-35.67 diets A -C respectively with higher concentrations noted for animals on the EWMbased diets {3% (B) and 6% (C)}. Neutrophil and lymphocyte values varied significantly (p<0.05) with higher values recorded for animals on the Diet (C). Different hematological parameters Hb, MCV, MCH< neutrophil, monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil were higher for Diet C compared with other Diets. It is noteworthy that the RBC and MCV MCH, Neutrophil, and Eosinophil Basophil are (p>0.05) enhanced with the accelerated levels of EWM in Diet C. Total Protein concentration and Albumin values significantly (p<0.05) ranged between 7.67 and 8.67 and 25.56-278.33 respectively. Additionally, Glucose levels increased significantly as the levels of EWM increased in the experimental diets. The ALT and ALP reduced significantly (p<0.05%) as the levels of EWM enhanced from diets A to C. AST and Globulin levels however, indicated significant differences (p<0.05) but did not follow any specific direction with increasing levels of EWM. In addition, Cholesterol levels were 2.06 (A), 2.37 (B), and 2.43(C) but insignificant (p>0.05). The report concluded that goat farmers may include 6% EWM in the diet of red Sokoto goats since it showed no health implication on the hematological and Serum biochemical indices of the animalsItem DIETARY EVALUATION AND PARTIAL BUDGET ANALYSIS OF ASPERGILLUS NIGER TREATED SUGARCANE SCRAPS ON THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF RED SOKOTO GOATS(ONLINE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 2022) Belewu, Moshood Adewale; Ajayi, A.M.; Adeleke, R.A.; Olusanmi, J.O.,; Adelodun, G.T.; Jimoh R.B.The Study which was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, University of Abuja, was aimed at evaluating the effect of feeding Aspergillus treated Sugarcane scraps on feed intake, weight gain, digestibility and partial budget analysis of Red Sokoto goats. Nine mixed sexes Red Sokoto goats with an average initial weight of between 13.37 and 13.60kg (±SEM=0,07) used for the study were acclimatized to the experimental diets for two weeks. The study consisted of 56 days feeding trial and 7 days of digestibility period in a Complete Randomised design model . The dietary treatments were T1 (0% Aspergillus treated Sugarcane scraps); T2 (12.50% Aspergillus treated Sugarcane scraps) and T3 (25% Aspergillus treated Sugarcane scraps). The results revealed significant variations (P< 0.05) in the average dry matter intake {500g/day (T1); 450g/day (T2); and 750g/day (T3)}. Crude Protein intake, ether extract intake, metabolizable energy intake and ash intake were highest for T3 compared to other dietary treatments. The significant (P<0.05) weight gain noted was highest for T3 and lowest for T1. Feed Conversion Ratio (FRC) was best for T2 and T3. Digestibility of all parameters were significantly different (P<0.05) with the highest value recorded for T3. Feed cost per kilogram was N267.03 (T1); N287.67 (T2) and N308.69 (T3) while feed cost/g weight gain was economical for T3 (N0.39) compared with N0.54 (T2) and N2.05 (T3). The study concluded that feeding Aspergillus treated Sugarcane scraps to Red Sokoto goats holds a positive effect on the performance and economically feasible