ABSTRACT

Twelve weaner rabbits, aged between 5-8 weeks and averaging 650g in weight .ere divided into four groups of three (3) each and used in a 60 - day feeding trial, to evaluate the blood chemistry and haematology of rabbits fed levels of raw and processed pigeon pea seed meal based diet. The rabbit were in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), feeds Diet 1 (control) contained the raw, Diet 2 (boiled), Diet 3 (toasted), Diet 4 (soaked) pigeon pea seed meal incorporated in weaner rations at 20% inclusion levels. The haematological components of study includes haemoglobin (hb), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), White Blood Cells (WBC), Red Blood Cell(RBC), neutrophil (n), lymphocyte (1) and eosinophil (e). Biochemical parameters are urea, serum creatinine, bilirubin (total (TB) and conjugated (CB)), total protein (tp), globulin, serum glutamic transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamic oxalo acetic transaminase (SGOT). Results shows that White Blood Cell (WBC), lymphocyte (1), globulin (g) and PCV(%) were affected (P<0.05) by experimental diets. PCV and Lymphocytes ranged from 14.5 to 25.3 and 17.0 to 33.6 respectively, for diets 1 — 3. globulin ranged from 1.10 for diet 2 to 2.70 for diet 1, while WBC ranged from 5.00 for diet 3 to 6.30 for diet 1. Urea, creatinine, (tp), albumin (a), (TB), (CB), (SGOT), (SGPT), (Fib), (RBC ), (n) and (e) were not significantly different (P>0.05).