Effect of graded levels of ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale) meal on serum biochemistry of pubertal New Zealand White rabbits

Abstract

Forty-eight sexually matured (7 to 8 months old) healthy male and female New Zealand White rabbits were used to determine the effect of graded levels of ginger rhizome meal on serum biochemical indices. The rabbits were divided into 4 treatment groups, namely T1, T2, T3 and T4 and assigned to four treatment diets in a Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD). Each of the treatment groups consisted of 12 rabbits (6 does and 6 bucks) replicated 3 times with 2 rabbits per replicate. The levels of inclusion of the ginger rhizome meal were 0.00, 5.00, 10.00 and 15.00% for the T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. T1 serves as the control. The rabbits were fed twice daily, in the morning and evening, water was given ad libitum to the rabbits. After 30 days, blood samples were collected from 12 rabbits (6 does and 6 bucks) in each treatment group for serum biochemical evaluation. The results showed that there were significant differences (P<0.05) among the treatment groups in the serum biochemical parameters: urea (significant difference (P<0.05) between rabbits on T1, T2, T3 and those on T4); Aspartate transaminase (significant difference (P<0.05) between rabbits on T2 and T1; between T3 and those on T1 and T4); Alanine transaminase (significant difference (P<0.05) between rabbits on T1, T3, T4 and those onT20); and glucose (significant difference (P<0.05) between rabbits on T2 and those on T1, T3, T4), except Alkaline phosphatase and cholesterol which were similar (P>0.05) among the treatment groups. The results of this study indicate that inclusion of ginger rhizome meal in the diets of the rabbits up to 5% improved their serum biochemical indices.

Effect of graded levels of Moringa oleifera leaf meal on serum biochemical parameters of growing male New Zealand white rabbits

“…Aspartate transaminase values obtained in this study were within the range of 10-120 (iu/L) reported by the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (2002). However, the AST values obtained in this study were higher than the range of 7.73-16.0 (iu/L) reported with sundried, ensiled and fermented cassava peel based diets, and higher than the range of 24.68-38.96 (iu/L) reported by Ilo and Egu (2018) for rabbits fed graded levels of ginger rhizome meal. Analysis of live enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP) activities give valuable diagnostic information for a number of disease conditions.…”

“…Alkaline phosphatase values obtained in this study were within the normal range of 17.00-192.00 (iu/L) reported by Merck (2012) for rabbits. However, the ALP values in this study were higher than the range of 5.92-8.38 (iu/L) reported by Ewuola et al (2010) for rabbits fed dietary prebiotics and probiotics, and higher than the range of 44.25-56.30 (iu/L) as reported by Ilo and Egu, 2018, for rabbits fed graded levels of ginger rhizome meal. This disparity may be associated with the differences in physiological and nutritional status of the rabbits.…”

“…The serum urea values obtained in this study were lower than the range of 14.74-17.93 (mmol/L) reported by Etim and Oguike (2011) in rabbits fed Aspilia Africana, but within the normal range of 10.00-33.00(mmol/L) reported by University of Pennsylvania school of veterinary medicine (2002) and Merck (2012) for rabbits. Higher blood urea levels have been associated with protein deficiency (Amaefula et al, 2005;Egu, 2018). The cholesterol values obtained in this study were within the normal range of 0.30-2.10(mg/dl) reported by Merck (2012) for rabbits and within the range of 1.47-2.63 (mg/dl) reported by Ilo and Egu (2018) for rabbits fed graded levels of ginger rhizome meal.…”

“…Higher blood urea levels have been associated with protein deficiency (Amaefula et al, 2005;Egu, 2018). The cholesterol values obtained in this study were within the normal range of 0.30-2.10(mg/dl) reported by Merck (2012) for rabbits and within the range of 1.47-2.63 (mg/dl) reported by Ilo and Egu (2018) for rabbits fed graded levels of ginger rhizome meal. Mufwa and Mohammed et al (2014) reported higher ranges of 33.12 -40.00 (mg/dl) and 48.44 -49.11 (mg/dl) respectively for rabbits.…”

“…However, the glucose values in this study were much lower than the ranges of 8 -15 (mmol/L) and 114.00-142.00 (mmol/L) reported by Mufwa et al (2011) and Ewuola et al (2012) respectively for rabbits. This disparity in glucose values may not be unconnected to (Ilo and Egu, 2018). Aspartate transaminase values obtained in this study were within the range of 10-120 (iu/L) reported by the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (2002).…”