Haemato-Biochemical Indices of Red Sokoto Goats Fed Various Levels of Earthworm Meal-Based Diets

Blood is essential to life and it is vital for the transportation of oxygen from the lungs to every cell of the body for metabolism purposes. Hence, blood samples were collected from thirty (30) healthy Red Sokoto goats fed an earthworm meal-based diet with ten goats per treatment constituting a replicate in a Completely Randomized design model to evaluate the influence of various levels of Earthworm Meal (EWM) based diets [Control diet (A) 0% EWM), 3% (B) and 6% (C)] on their haemato-biochemical profile. Blood samples were drawn from the jugular vein of the experimental animals on the last day of the study for the determination of hematology parameters [Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red Blood Cell (RBC) count, White Blood Cell (WBC) count, neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCH]. The Serum indices [Glucose, ALT, AST, ALP, Total Protein, Albumin, Globulin] were also assessed. All haemato-biochemical procedures were determined following the standard methods. The results showed significant variations (p<0.05) in the PVC and MCHC which ranged from 23.30-38.33 and 31.33-35.67 diets A -C respectively with higher concentrations noted for animals on the EWM-based diets {3% (B) and 6% (C)}. Neutrophil and lymphocyte values varied significantly (p<0.05) with higher values recorded for animals on the Diet (C). Different hematological parameters Hb, MCV, MCH< neutrophil, monocyte, eosinophil, and basophil were higher for Diet C compared with other Diets. It is noteworthy that the RBC and MCV MCH, Neutrophil, and Eosinophil Basophil are (p>0.05) enhanced with the accelerated levels of EWM in Diet C. Total Protein concentration and Albumin values significantly (p<0.05) ranged between 7.67 and 8.67 and 25.56-278.33 respectively. Additionally, Glucose levels increased significantly as the levels of EWM increased in the experimental diets. The ALT and ALP reduced significantly (p<0.05%) as the levels of EWM enhanced from diets A to C. AST and Globulin levels however, indicated significant differences (p<0.05) but did not follow any specific direction with increasing levels of EWM. In addition, Cholesterol levels were 2.06 (A), 2.37 (B), and 2.43(C) but insignificant (p>0.05). The report concluded that goat farmers may include 6% EWM in the diet of red Sokoto goats since it showed no health implication on the hematological and Serum biochemical indices of the animals.