Studies on Haematological and Serum Biochemical Characteristics of Weaner Rabbits Fed Different Levels of Wild Sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia Hemsl A. Gray) Leaf- Blood Meal Mixture

A 59 day -feeding trial involving thirty-two, 5-& weeks old, weaner rabbits of mixed breeds and sex with initial weight of between 594 and 608g was conducted to examine the effect of feeding different levels of wild sunflower leaf- blood meal mixture (WSFLBM) as a iron- conventional feedstuff on the haematological and serum biochemical indices of weaner rabbits. The rabbits were allocated into 4 treatment groups of 8 rabbits per group. Each rabbit served as a replicate in a completely randomized design experiment. The four treatment groups had diets containing WSFLBld at 0,5. 10 and 20% dietary inclusion levels. All the haematological parameters evaluated: White blood cell count(WBC), Red blood cell count(RBC'), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), Mean corpuscular volume(MCV)were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by the inclusion of WSFLBM. Significant influences were not observed for total protein, albumin, globulin and alkaline phosphatase. However, the serum biochemical indices evaluated, showed that cholesterol, SGPT and SCOT were significantly (P < 0.05) affected as the level of WSFLBM increased. It was concluded based on data from WBC, RBC, MCV, MCH MCHC and those from serum biochemical indices evaluated that wild sunflower leaf- blood meal mixture could be incorporated up to 20% level in weaner rabbit ration.