Effects of Feeding Carrot (Daucus carota L) Leaf Meal on Haematology, Blood Chemistry and Carcass Characteristics of Growing Rabbits in a Semi-Arid Environment of Borno State of Nigeria

Abstract

A ten-week experiment was conducted to determine the haematological indices, serum chemistry and carcass characteristics, of growing rabbits fed graded levels of carrot (Daucus carota L) leaf meal. A total of 30 rabbits were randomly allocated in groups of six (6) to five dietary treatments with T₁ (control), T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅ containing 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% carrot leaf meal respectively. The experimental diets and clean drinking water were supplied to the rabbits ad libitum. The analyzed blood parameters showed significant (p<0.05) differences except for Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) and White Blood Cell (WBC). Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and Haemoglobin (Hb) were generally higher in carrot leaf meal diets than the control diet (T₁). Red Blood Cells (RBC) increased with increase in Carrot Leaf Meal (CLM) while Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) decreased with increase in Carrot Leaf Meal (CLM) compared to T₁ (control diet). There were no significant differences (p>0.05) for serum biochemical indices among all treatments. The slaughter weight showed significant (p<0.05) differences among all treatments with rabbits on T₂ (10% CLM) having the highest slaughter weight (1443.70 g) and T₃ (20% CLM) having the highest dressed weight (1133.30 g). There were no significant (p>0.05) differences among the treatments for dressing percentage, head, skin, shoulder, loin, hind legs, liver, lungs and kidneys while the tail, feet, rack, heart and abdominal fat showed significant (p<0.05) differences. Based on these results, growing rabbits could tolerate up to 40% carrot leaf meal without adverse effects on their haematological parameters and carcass characteristics.