Performance characteristics and blood profile of rams fed mixture of bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) leaves and neem (Azadirachta indica) seed cake

The study was carried out to assess the performance characteristics and blood profile of growing rams fed mixture of bamboo leaves and neem seed cake. Eighteen West African dwarf rams with an average weight of 8.00± 0.20kg and aged between 8 - 9 months were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments with six animals per treatment group in a completely randomized design. The diets compared were TD1(70% Guinea grass with 30% concentrate diet which was the control group), TD2 (mixture of 50% bamboo leaves with 20% neem seed cake and 30% concentrate diet) and TD3(combination of 45% bamboo leaves with 25% neem seed cake and 30% concentrate diet). The results obtained indicated that average total feed intake (11.13kg), average daily feed intake (132.50g), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (33.35g/dL), glucose (59.01mg/dL), cholesterol (42.89mg/dL), creatinine (1.01mg/dL) and urea (13.73mg/dL) were significantly (P<0.05) better with animals on TD1 Animals on TD2had the highest values in terms of finial body weight (11.33kg), average total weight gain (3.27kg), average daily weight gain (38.93g), total digestible nutrient (68.97%), packed cell volume (30.06%), haemoglobin (10.68g/dl), red blood cell (9.42 x 106ml), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (11.70Pg), total protein (8.09g/dL), albumin (3.03g/dL), and globulin (5.06g/dL). Feed conversion ratio (4.27), mean corpuscular volume (30.95fl) and white blood cell (2.56 x 103/mL) were significantly highest for animals on TD3 No significant (P>0.05) difference existed between the experimental rams with regards to initial body weight, lymphocyte, neutrophile. It was concluded that combination of 50% bamboo leaves with 20% of neem seed cake and 30% concentrate diet improved performance, haematological and serum biochemical indices for growing rams.