Evaluation of the effect of soaked false yam (Icacina oliviformis) tuber meal on the haematological indices and serum biochemistry of rabbits

BACKGROUND: The exploitations of non-conventional feeds for livestock have sparked great interest due to human-animal competition for conventional feedstuffs. The majority of animal feedstuffs are formulated with grains as the major ingredient, resulting in tautness and an increase in the costs of conventional feeds. This practice has underscored the necessity for an alternatively cheap and sustainable non-conventional feedstuff to salvage the feeding restraint to animal production. With this, the present study aimed at evaluating the effect of soaked false yam tuber meal (SFYTM) on the haematological indices and serum biochemical profile of weaner rabbits. METHODS: Sixteen local weaned rabbits of diversified breeds and sexes were randomly apportioned to dietary treatments containing 0, 10, 15, and 20 % of soaked false yam tuber in replacement for maize in a maize-fishmeal-based diet. Following feeding trials, blood samples from the rabbits were taken and analyzed using haematology and chemistry analyzers. RESULTS: The haematological assay revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) among treatments for red blood cells (RBCs), total white blood cells (TWBCs), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and monocytes. For haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), platelet, lymphocytes, neutrophils, esoniphiles, and basophils, no significant differences (P > 0.05) were achieved. With the serum biochemical tests, significantly higher values were obtained for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and sodium relative to the control. Despite some of the evaluated parameters having relatively high values, they tumbled within the normal range of values for a healthy weaned rabbit. CONCLUSION: False yam tuber can therefore be exploited as a substitute for maize in rabbits’ diets without detrimental effects on the haematological and biochemical markers of the farm animals.