Haematology and Serum Lipid Profile of Weaner Pigs Fed African Porridge Plant (Tetrapleura tetraptera) Pod Meal

Abstract

An experiment which lasted 56 days was conducted to study the haematology and serum lipid c of eighteen 42- day-old, Large White-Duroc cross-bred weaned piglets fed 0.00%, 1.00% and 1.50% Tetrapleura tetraptera pod meal (TPM). The piglets were randomly assigned to three experimental diets; each treatment was replicated thrice, in a completely randomized design. There were significant (p<0.05) reductions in RBC, PCV, Hb and MCH of the plasma of piglets fed TPM. Total andVLDL cholesterol were higher (p<0.05) in the sera of TPM-fed than those on 0.00% TPM. Higher (p<0.05) LDL and triglycerides were obtained in piglets fed 1.50% TPM. HDL cholesterol was significantly (p<0.05) reduced in piglets fed TPM as the inclusion level increased. It was concluded that 1.00% and 1.50% dietary inclusions of TPM depressed RBC, PCV, Hb and MCH but enhanced the serum lipids except the HDL cholesterol of weaned piglets.