ABSTRACT

Haematblogical, Biochemical values and growth performance of Post weaned West African Dwarf goats fed Car/ca papaya (common paw-paw) leaf meal at different levels were determined. In this study, twelve (12) WAD bucks aged between 8 - 12 months with weight range of 4.5 to 8kg were randomly divided into four treatment groups of 3 goats in a treatment group. The test ingredient, Car/ca papaya leaf meal was allotted to individual animals at 0, 05, 1.0 and 1.5% body weights to constitute the Treatment groups A, B, C, and D. All the animals were offered a 4 concentrate diet ad I/b/turn. The study lasted for a period of 35 days (5 weeks). Blood was collected from Jugular veins of goats in the 1 21 days (3 weeks) of the study and analysed for haematological parameters namely: White Blood Cell (WBC), Red Blood Cell (RBC), Packed Cell Volume (PVC), Haemoglobin (H b), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Volume (MVC); and Biochemical Values namely: Protein, Albumin, Globulin, SGOT and SGPT. Results showed that apart from Packed cell volume (PVC) and Haemoglobin (HB) that were significantly different (P<0.05) across the Treatment means; other values namely White Blood Cell (WBC), Red Blood Cell (RBC), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Volume (MVC) were similar across the Treatment means. The Biochemical parameters were not significantly different (P>0.05) across the Treatment means. For Treatments A, B, C, and D, Total Protein (gfdl) values include 5.97, 6.07, 6.07 and 5.83 and others namely Albumin (g/dl), Globulin • (g/dl), SGOT (lU/L) and SGPT (lUlL) followed the same pattern. The Growth performance parameters were significantly different (P<0.05) across the Treatment means. This has shown that Car/ca papaya when used at 0.5% body weight inclusion had the best effect on the haematological and biochemical values and 1.5% body weight inclusion had the best result on the weights of the animals. These will serve as advice to Animal Health Scientists to be cautious when Car/ca papaya is used considering breeding and fattening purposes.