Haematological and Biochemical Responses of Various Levels of Subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) Leaves in Growing Rabbits

Twenty New Zealand White and Soviet Chinchilla rabbits (12 week old) were divided into four equal groups on the basis of initial body weight and age. Part of concentrate diet was replaced with 20 (T₂), 40 (T₃) and 60%(T₄) subabul leaves on DM basis (19.75%), while group T₁ was kept as control. Blood samples were collected four times each (in the beginning and after 90 days of feeding) from heart of the experimental animals and analysed for various haematoiogical and biochemical traits. Mean growth rate was highest (18.88 g/day) in group T₃, while DMI was lowest (98.88 g/day) in group T₄. Subabul feeding bad a significant (P≤0.05) effect on growth, DMI, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, red and white blood corpuscles, mean cell volume, albumin, iron, cholesterol, urea, creatinine, calcium and phosphorus concentrations in rabbits. It was concluded that leucaena leaves up to 40% level can be safly included in rabbit diet.