UTILIZATION OF Moringa oleifera AS A NEW RABBITS FEED. 4- EFFECT OF DIETARY INCLUSION OF Moringa oleifera HAY ON BLOOD CONSTITUENTS AND HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF GROWING RABBITS.

A total number of 90 weanling New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits of both sexes, 5 weeks old with an average initial live body weight of 550.5 ± 20.23(g) were used in this study to evaluate the effect of dietary inclusion of different levels of moringa hay (which composed of leaves 50 % + twigs 50%) as a partial substitute for alfalfa hay on blood constituents and histopathological structure. The animals were randomly allotted into three experimental groups (30 each). The first group (A) was fed the basal diet as control, while the second (B) and third groups (C) were fed diets containing Moringa oleifera hay as a replacement of 50% and 75% of alfalfa hay in the basal diet, respectively throughout the growing period (5-13 week of age). The obtained results  showed that rabbits fed Diet C increased significantly (P<0.01) haemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) as compared with those fed Diet B and Diet A (control group). However, the differences in red blood cell (RBCs), white blood cell (WBCs), platelet (Plt), neutrophils, lymphocytes, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were not significant. Moreover, all values of blood haematological parameters are within the normal range for healthy rabbits. The differences in total protein, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT), bilirubin, urea-N and creatinine among the experimental groups of growing NZW rabbits fed different level of Moringa oleifera hay and control group were not significant. Sections from spleen, liver and kidneys of rabbits fed different level of Moringa oleifera hay (leaves +twigs) as a substitute for alfalfa hay in the diet showed normal hiso-morphological structures as control. Testis of male rabbits fed Diet A (control), Diet B and Diet C showed normal spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermato cytogenesis processes. Sections of ovaries of female growing rabbits fed Diet B and Diet C revealed activated ovarian function with the presence of primordial and growing follicles, together with normal stromal structures as in the control (rabbits fed diet A). Conclusively, the results of the present study demonstrated that, Moringa oleifera hay (leaves+ twigs) is                                                                      supportive as unconventional source of protein for feeding growing rabbits and could be added in the diet at levels up to 15% to replace about 75% of alfalfa hay without any adverse effects on  blood constituents and  structure of growing NZW rabbits.