By Nletem, AW; Nnam, BS; Diri, M
(2024).
Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN:
2276-7770 Vol.
14(3), pp. 182-185, 2024 Copyright
©2024, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. |
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Effect
of Moringa oleifera Leaf as an Additive on the Haematology of Weaner Rabbits
Nletem, A.W.; Nnam, B.S.; Diri, M.*
Animal
Science Department, Rivers State University, Port-Harcourt, Nigeria.
ARTICLE INFO |
ABSTRACT |
Article
No.: 090424109 Type:
Research Full
Text: PDF. PHP, HTML, EPUB, MP3 |
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) on
the Haematological indices of weaner rabbits. Twenty-four (24) New Zealand
White male weaner Rabbits were used for this experiment, and were allocated
to four treatments (T1 (0g), T2 (10g), T3 (20g) and T4 (30g) respectively
with three replicates, and two rabbits per replicate. The investigation
lasted for 8 weeks, and the effects of Moringa
oleifera as an additive, were determined after obtaining data from Blood
samples collected and haematologically analyzed. The addition of Moringa oleifera at different levels had a significant effect
(p<0.05) on Hemoglobin, Red blood cells, Mean Volume and White blood
cells. It is concluded that, Moringa oleifera
leaf meal (MOLM) can be incorporated up to 30g/kg of feed inclusion level in
the diets of growing rabbits, since it did not have any deleterious effects,
but rather had beneficial effects on the haematological status of the
Rabbits. |
Accepted: 04/09/2024 Published:
11/09/2024 |
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*Corresponding
Author Mr. Moses Diri E-mail:
dirimoses@ yahoo.com |
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Keywords:
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INTRODUCTION
Some feed products
are fed to animals usually without recourse to their health and physiological
implications on the animals. The commonest parameter for measuring these
implications is through the haematology of the animals (Aro et al., 2013). The physiology of farm
animals is affected by several factors, one of which is nutrition (Ajao et al., 2013). Addass et al.(2012) posited that nutrition
affects blood values of animals. Increase in meat production can be achieved
through proper nutrition, inclusion of feed ingredients at normal or required
levels (Etim and Oguike, 2010).
In
many tropical and subtropical countries, various parts of Moringa (leaves,
fruits, immature pods, flowers and seeds) are incorporated into the traditional
food of humans (Siddhuraju and Becker, 2003 and Anhwange et al., 2004). Leaves can also be eaten fresh, cooked, or stored as
dried powder for many months without refrigeration, and reportedly without loss
of nutritional value. (Jed, 2005). Recently, there has been interest in
the utilization of (Moringa oleifera)
commonly called horse radish tree or drum stick tree, as potential inexpensive
protein source for livestock feeding. The economization of feed cost using
cheaper and unconventional feed resources (Bhatt and Sharma, 2001; Muriu et al., 2002) is an important aspect of
commercial rabbit production.
Isaac
et al., (2013) stated that
Haematological components, which consists of Red blood cells, White blood cells
or Leucocytes, and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin are valuable in monitoring feed
toxicity, especially, with feed constituents that affect the blood as well as
the health status of farm animals.
Moreover,
the comparison of blood profile with nutrient intake might indicate the need
for adjustment of certain nutrients upward or downward for rabbits (Rafiu et al., 2013). This present study is therefore
carried out to determine the effects of different inclusion levels of Moringa olifera leaf in the diets of
weaner rabbits on their Haematological indices.
Anti-nutritional
Factors
Anti-nutritional
factors are defined as naturally generated substances in feed stuffs which
exert effects contrary to optimum nutrition.
(Kumar, 1992,). The presence of high amounts of antinutritional factors can
affect the digestibility of proteins, carbohydrates‟ digestion and may
inactivate vitamins. Therefore, it is important to evaluate a plant
anti-nutritional factor to access potential inhibitors. Several
anti-nutritional factors in Moringa
oleifera leaves includes tannins, trypsin inhibitors, lectins, saponins,
phytates, cyanogenic glucosides, alpha-amylase inhibitors, glucosinolates and
alkaloids.
Table 1: Anti
nutritional Factors Present in Moringa Leaves
Total phenols
(g/kg)
|
Tannin
(g/kg) |
Saponin (g/kg) |
Phytate
(g/kg) |
Lectin
(g/kg) |
Cyanogenic
glucoside (mg/kg)
|
Glucosinolate (µmol/g) |
44.3 |
12.0 |
81.0 |
21.0 |
Not detectable |
Not detectable |
Not
detectable |
Source: Adapted from:
(Makkar and Becker 1996, 318)
The results
illustrate that only saponins are found in considerable amounts, 81g per kg.
Saponins are steroids or triterpenoid glycosides attached to a carbohydrate.
(Kumar, 1992). They are characterized by their bitter taste, foaming properties
and affect membrane integrity. It is estimated that in Europe the daily amount
of saponins is around 15mg, however in traditional African or Asian cuisine,
the value increases to 110 to 240mg depending on the number of legumes eaten.
(Watzl, 2001,). Nonetheless, saponins are poorly absorbed and are mostly
excreted unchanged. Using Makkar and Becker’s study, it can be concluded that
Moringa leaves‟ anti-nutritional factors are not significant and
protein-inhibitors like tannins or phytates, which can affect the protein value
were found in very low amounts, thus irrelevant for the analysis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was
conducted at the Rabbit unit, Teaching and Research Farm of Animal Science,
Rivers State University, Nkporlu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. The
land surface of this region is generally less than 20m above sea level and
falls within latitude 40 43‟ N and longitude 7o
18‟E.
A
total of twenty-four New Zealand white weaner rabbits, were used for this
experiment. The male rabbits were fed with an experimental diet consisting of Moringa oleifera leaf meal, commercial
feeds and guinea grass in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Moringa oleifera leaf meal was
administered at three different levels and was replicated thrice with two
rabbits per replicate. The rabbits were
housed in wire cages and were fed ad-libitum
with the treatment diet. Water was also given to the rabbits without
restriction. The duration of the experiment was 8 weeks.
Experimental Diet
Moringa oleifera leaf meal was purchased from Songhai Rivers
Development Initiative Farm, Bunu-Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers
state.
The
Moringa leaves were harvested from branches of Moringa trees and was kept under
the sun for several days to reduce the moisture content. It was then milled
into powder forms before mixing at different levels. The Powder, was then mixed
with the commercial feed at different inclusion levels and then given to the
rabbits.
Experimental Diet
Diet A (Control) - 0g
Moringa oleifera leaf +1 kg
commercial feed + Guinea grass.
Diet B - 10g Moringa oleifera leaf + 1kg commercial
feed + Guinea grass.
Diet C - 20g Moringa oleifera leaf + 1kg commercial
feed + Guinea grass.
Diet D -25g Moringa oleifera leaf + 1kg commercial
feed+ Guinea grass.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
Table 2 shows a
significant effect (p<0.5) of Moringa
oleifera was observed for Hemoglobin, Red blood cells, White Blood Cells.
Treatment 4 which had 30g of Moringa
Oleifera leaf meal inclusion gave higher values of Hemoglobin, Red Blood
Cells. White Blood Cells. While the least values were observed in Treatment
1(0g) which was the control.
Hemoglobin
and Red Blood Cells had a linear relationship as the Moringa inclusion levels
increased. Conversely, White Blood Cells and Mean Cell Volume and Mean and Hemoglobin had no linear relationship as Moringa oleifera inclusion rate
increased.
Table 2. Result
Showing the Effects of Moringa oleifera
Leaf Meal (Molm) on the Haematology of Weaner Rabbits.
Treatment |
1.(Control)
|
2.(15g
of MOLM) |
3.(20g
of MOLM) |
4.(30g
of MOLM) |
Hemoglobin |
9.33±0.78b |
10.10±0.49ab |
10.57±0.59ab |
11.90±0.85 a |
Red blood cells |
4.03± 0.39b |
4.40±0.38ab |
4.67±0.35ab |
5.33±0.18a |
White blood cells |
4.33±0.09c |
5.27±0.37a |
4.53±0.18bc |
5.13±0.07ab |
Mean cell volume 69.64±2.09
69.45±3.12 68.13±2.32 66.84±0.54 |
abc, mean values with
same superscripts are not significantly different (P>0.5).
From the results on
Table 2, effects of the treatments on all the haematological parameters did not
adversely affect the Rabbits, as they were all within the normal Haematology
range, but rather, helped to improve the Haematological status.
The
result from this study showed significant increase in the Red Blood Cell and
Haemoglobin, respectively. The higher
value observed in treatment 4, agreed with the findings of Odetola et al. (2012) who reported an increase in Red Blood Cells and Haemoglobin in a
study, using Moringa oleifera as an
additive. The increased Haemoglobin concentration also agreed with the reports
of Terzungwe et al. (2013) where they
observed that, increasing Moringa levels caused an increase in haemoglobin
concentration. Haemoglobin has a physiological function of transporting oxygen
to tissues of the animals for oxidation of the ingested food so as to release
energy as well as transport carbon dioxide out of the body of animals.
Therefore, the rabbit had an increased function of transporting oxygen to the
tissues for oxidation of ingested food as the Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal (MOLM) inclusion levels increased.
Several authors posited that Red Blood
Cell
is involved in the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body. Thus, an
increased Red Blood Cell count implies an increase in the level of oxygen that
would be carried to the tissues as well as the level of Carbon dioxide returned
to the lungs (Ugwuene, 2011; Soetan, et
al., 2013; Isaac et al., 2013).
White
Blood Cells help to fight infections, defend the body by phagocytosis against
invasion by foreign organisms and to produce or at least transport and
distribute antibodies in immune response. Thus, animals with low White Blood
Cells are exposed to high risk of disease infection, while those with high
counts are capable of generating antibodies in the process of phagocytosis and
have a high degree of resistance to diseases (Soetan et al., 2013) and also enhance adaptability to local environmental
and disease prevalent conditions (Kabir, et
al., 2011; Okunlola, et a.l,
2012; Isaac et al., 2013).
The
results of this study shows the highest values of White Blood Cells in
Treatment 2 and 4, although the relationship wasn‟t linear, but a
significant effect was recorded between the
Treatment
levels of Moringa oleifera Leaf Meal
(MOLM). According to Soetan et al.
(2013) Kabir, et al., 2011; Isaac et al.(2013) who variously reported
similar findings in their trials, that the generation of antibodies in the
process of phagocytosis results in a higher degree of disease resistance and
will also enhance adaptability to local environmental and disease prevalent
conditions.
CONCLUSION
The
results of this experiment have shown that Moringa
oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) can be incorporated up to 30g/1kg of feed
inclusion level in the diets of growing rabbits, since it did not have any
deleterious effects, but rather beneficial effects on the haematological status
of the rabbits. In consideration of the fact that Moringa oleifera trees grow widely in this part of the country, the
leaves can be easily grown and cheaply obtained at minimal cost, therefore, its
utilization as an additive in rabbits’ feed will help to proffer solutions to Nigeria’s
protein shortage problems.
The
results of this study indicates that rabbits can tolerate Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) up to 30g/1kg feed level, if
incorporated for optimal performance.
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Cite this Article: Nletem, AW; Nnam, BS; Diri, M
(2024). Effect of Moringa oleifera
Leaf as an Additive on the Haematology of Weaner Rabbits. Greener Journal of
Agricultural Sciences, 14(3): 182-185.
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