Pawpaw Leaf Meal and Exo-enzyme in Rabbit Diet: Effect on Hematological and Serum Biochemical Indices

Aims: To determine the effect of dietary enzyme (E) and pawpaw leaf meal (PLM) on hematological and biochemical indices of rabbits.

Study Design: Complete randomized design with 2x2 factorial arrangements.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out between November and December, 2016 at Agricultural Technology Department Teaching and Research
Farm, The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria.

Methodology: Four experimental diets were formulated (diet 1 (0%-E), diet 2 (0%+E), diet 3 (10%-E) and diet 4 (10%+E)). Diets 1 and 3 were not supplemented with enzyme but had PLM inclusion at 0 and 10% level respectively, while diets 2 and 4 were enzyme supplemented at the rate of 0.5g/kg but had PLM inclusion at 0 and 10% level respectively. One hundred and twenty (120) healthy, 35 day old weaner rabbits of equal sex and cross breed (Chinchilla x New-Zealand white) were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments (30 rabbits/treatment; 3 rabbits/replicate). The rabbits were fed their respective experimental diets ad libitum for 56 days.

Results: Dietary enzyme significantly (P<0.05) increased the lymphocyte value while pawpaw leaf meal (PLM) inclusion significantly (P<0.05) increased the white blood cells (WBC) and lymphocytes but reduced the platelet values. Significant (P<0.05) interaction exists between dietary enzyme and PLM for white blood cells, monocytes, red blood cells, haemoglobin concentration, mean cell volume and mean cell haemoglobin concentration. Urea, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and amylase values reduced (P<0.05) with the dietary enzyme supplementation. Cholesterol, low density lipoprotein and amylase reduced due to dietary PLM.

Conclusion: The pawpaw leaf meal (10%) and exo-enzyme (0.5 g/kg) did not pose any threat to the normal health of the rabbits.