Effect of different levels of supplemental groundnut shells on haematological parameters of cattle during dry season in communal grazing areas of North West Province, South Africa

摘要

The demand for animal protein has exceeded the supply due to the rapid growth of the human population in many countries of the world, especially in developing countries, such as South Africa, further increasing the cost of supplements, especially protein. Groundnut shells (GNS) that are abundant in the North West Province of South Africa can be a valuable resource for protein to reduce the cost of supplementing communally grazed cattle. Therefore, an eight-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of supplementing the diet of communal cattle during the dry season with different levels GNS on haematological parameters. The parameters measured were red blood cells, haemoglobin, white blood cells, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, neutrophils and platelets. Thirty-five cattle (aged six months and five years) were randomly allocated to five treatment groups (A, B, C, D, and E) with seven animals in each group. The basal diet consisted of blue buffalo grass and water ad libitium. Treatment group A received the basal diet and water only. Treatment group B was supplemented with 700 g/kg of GNS, C with 1050 g/kg of GNS, D with 1400 g/kg of GNS and E with 1750 g/kg of GNS. Blood was collected in test tubes containing EDTA as an anticoagulant and was collected once a week for eight weeks. Analysis was done through the IDEXX Catalyst machine according to Official Methods of Analysis, Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Data was analysed using Statistical Analysis System. Duncans Multiple Range (DMR) test was used to separate significant treatment means. In each of the parameters measured, the animals receiving 1050 g/kg of GNS had higher values compared to the control group and all other treatment groups even those supplemented at higher levels of GNS though the differences were not significant in every case. Parameters in which the values were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the group offered the 1050 g/kg GNS compared to the controls were red blood cells (RBCs) lymphocytes (LYM), monocytes (MONO), eosinophils (EOS) and platelets (PLT). These results would indicate that when the diet of cattle is low in protein such as is the case in cattle receiving a diet of only grass hay, that supplementing the diet with GNS with a crude protein of 11.67 % or higher would improve the animals ability to produce more RBCs, LYM, MONO, EOS and PLT and thereby improve the health and productivity of the cattle.