INVESTIGATION INTO THE HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF ALBINO RATS FED WITH Rana galamensis–BASED DIET AS AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF PROTEIN IN ANIMAL FEED

Objective: Objective is to assess the possibility of using Rana galamensis-based diet as an alternative source of protein for animal feed by investigating its effect on the haematological parameters of albino rats.

Place and Duration of the Study: This study was carried at Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State. The experiment lasted for eight weeks.

Methods: Sixteen albino rats weighing between 29.15 and 26.01 g were divided into two groups of eight animals each. The group A animals were fed with casein–based diet (control) while animals in group B were fed with R. galamensis–based diet for 8 weeks. Haematological parameters such as Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red Blood Count (RBC), Haemoglobin (Hb), White Blood Cell (WBC), Platelet, Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were assayed for using Automated Haematologic Analyzer. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS software package (version 16.0).

Results: Animals fed R. galamensis based diet appeared to have relatively better haematological indices compared with those fed casein–based diet, however there were no significant differences in the values obtained in both groups (p>0.05).

Conclusion: This study suggests that the consumption of Rana galamensis-based diet has no deleterious effect on the haematological parameters of albino rats and therefore could be recommended as an alternative source of protein in animal feed.