Synergetic Influence of Some Tropical Leaf Meals and Garlic on the Haemato-biochemical Parameters and Antioxidant Activities of Weaner Pigs

Aim: This experiment was designed to study the effects of using garlic-composite leaf meals produced from four (4) different leaves and garlic: bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), scent leaf (Ocimum gatissimum), Neem leaf (Azadirachta indica), Moringa leaf (Moringa oleifera) and Garlic (Allium sativum) as a premix in the diets of growing pigs. The leaves and garlic were air dried, milled and sieved separately. Thereafter the leaves and garlic were mixed in the ratio of 4 (Vernonia amygdalina): 3 (Moringa oleifera): 1 (Ocimum gatissimum): 1 (Azadirachta indica) and 1 (Allium sativum) to produce the garlic-composite tropical leaf meals. Individual leaves and their composite mix were analyzed for proximate, mineral, antioxidant and the phytochemical components of the leaves were determined using GCMS and other standard methods.

Methodology: Eighteen large white weaner-pigs of eight weeks were allocated in a completely randomized design for this experiment comprising three treatments and three replicates with two pigs per replicate. The average weight of the pigs were 13 kg. Basal diet were formulated and subdivided into three portions in which garlic-composite leaf meals were fed at 0g/kg, 10g/kg, and 20g/kg were used as an additives to the diets of weaner pigs and the diets were designated as I, II and III respectively. The pigs were then assigned to these 3 dietary treatments which were fed to the pigs at 5% of their body weight for 12 weeks experimental period. Water was supplied ad libitum throughout the experimental period. All data were subjected to analysis of variance.

Results: Dietary inclusion of GCLM on haematology, serum biochemistry indices and antioxidants significantly (P<0.05) affected the Packed Cell Volume (%), Mean Corpuscular Volume (fl) Lymphocytes (%), Granulocytes (%), Alanine aminotransferase (IU/L), Aspartate aminotransferase (IU/L), Total Protein (g/l) and catalase (Ku) of the experimental pigs.

Conclusions: It could be concluded within the limit of this study, that garlic-composite leaf meals had high nutrient potentials for pigs and could completely help growing pigs to improve in body weight as the composite leaf meals increases in pig diets.