Hematology and Blood Serum Chemistry of Albino Rat Fed Variously Processed False Yam (Icacina trichantha) Root Tuber at Varying Replacement Levels for Maize

The experiment was conducted at the Animal science laboratory, Teaching and Research Farm, Ambrose Alli University to evaluate the effect of feeding differently processed false yam tuber meal on the hematology and blood serum chemistry of Albino rats. Fresh tubers of Icacina trichantha were collected from Ekpoma environ. The tubers were washed then chopped and were differently processed by oven drying, sun drying as well as parboiling and sun drying. All processed tubers were then milled and an aliquot was collected and labeled before taken to the laboratory. 36 unsexed albino rats of an average age of 6 weeks were randomly allotted to four treatment namely: Corn starch-egg mixture as the control while diet 2, 3 and 4 were Oven dried, Sun dried and parboiled-sun dried Icacina tricantha in a completely Randomized Design with three replicates. The result on the hematology showed that Hb and PCV were higher (P<0.05) among rats fed oven dried false yam. WBC was higher (P<0.05) among rats fed parboiled sundried false yam comparable to control. MCH, MCHC, and RDW were higher (P<0.05) in that fed oven dried false yam. Platelet value was higher (P<0.05) in those fed sun-dried false yam. MPV, PWD, and neutrophil values were higher (P<0.05) among rats fed parboiled sundried false yam. lymphocyte was higher among those fed diet 3. Serum chemistry showed that globulin, urea, and creatinine were significantly affected. It is concluded therefore that the inclusion of oven dried false yam meal as the substitute for maize in the diet enhances the blood quality of Albino rats.