ABSTRACT

A comparative evaluation of the haernatological and biochemical indices of Muturu, N'dama and White Fulani cattle was conducted in a one month study. The herd was managed on natural pasture, but the animals also received a 12% CP 4 concentrate ration as supplement during the dry season. The result of the study showed that haeinoglobin, packed cell volume and white blood cell were influenced by breed (P<0.05), and so were neutrophil, lymphocytes, monophil and eosinophils. Haemoglobin (gldl) concentration was higher in Muturu (10.93) but did not differ (P<0.05) between N'dama (10.83) and White Fulani (9.80). white Fulani had the least PCV (29.43%) which differed significantly (P<0.05) from PVC values obtained for Muturu (33.3%) and N'dama (32.4%). Similar observation was made for WBC (x IO3/ml) with values of 6.27; 6.77 and 5.87 recorded for Muturu, N'dama and White Fulani, respectively. Red blood cell (x 1Q3Im1) was not affected (P<0.05) by breed but neutrophil and lymphocyte (%) values were respectively 42.08 and 54.40% for Muturu, 41.75 and 52.90 for N'dama and 43.42 and 55.30% for White Fulani; these means differed significantly (P<0.05) from each other. Monophil concentration followed similar pattern as neutrophil, while eosinophil (%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher in White Fulani • (1.00) relative to Muturu and N'dama (0.67). Mean corpuscular haernoglobin (gil) did not differ among breeds. For biochemical parameters, total proteiii, urea, creatinine and albumen concentrations differed significantly (P<O.O5) among the breeds. Total protein (gil) and urea (mmol) were highest inv1uturu (8.47,54.7) and declined significantly (P<Q.05) for N'dama (7.23, 47.0) and White Fulani (6.37, 39.3). conversely, creatinine values (mg/dl) was highest in White Fulani (0.72) and lowest in Muturu (0.31). N'darna had the highest concerntration of albumen in the blood (2.90) relative to Muturu (2.75) and White Fulani (2.70). SGPT and SGOT values were not influenced (P<0.05) by breed. At the end of this work, recommendation were made to encourage farmers in the rearing of N'darna or the Muturu breed more than White Fulani breeds in hot humid zone of Nigeria in other to help meet the protein need of the country.