Effect of urea as non-protein Nitrogenous substance on blood profile in fattening suakin lambs

Twelve apparently healthy 5–6 months old male Suakin lambs weighing between 40–45 kg were subjected to this study. Blood samples were obtained from each lamb on three occasions through jugular vein puncture. The obtained results revealed significant increase in the mean values of glucose (57.41±6.51, 55.52±3.00 vs. 67.79±7.31 mg/100 ml), inorganic phosphorus (5.06±0.44, 5.24±0.59 vs. 3.66±0.57 mg/100 ml), creatinine (1.73±0.49, 1.03±0.08 vs. 0.98±0.09 mg/100 ml) and alanine aminotransferase (17.08±2.38, 17.74±1.64 vs. 14.58±0.61 u/ml) concentrations in lambs fed experimental diet supplemented with urea. Meanwhile the mean values of total protein (7.04±0.26, 6.84±0.24 vs. 6.78±0.63 gm/100 ml), albumin (3.17±0.09, 3.19±0.09 vs. 3.26±0.13 gm/100 ml), blood urea nitrogen (24.67±1.06, 25.17±0.76 vs. 23.03±0.80 mg/100 ml), liver enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (116.9±9.31, 110.0±5.39 vs. 101.4±7.20 u/ml), calcium (10.82±0.27, 10.86±0.20 vs. 10.95±9.28 mg/100 ml) and creatine phosphokinase (69.03±12.22, 75.57±15.86 vs. 57.65±9.65 u/ml) showed nonsignificant variations between different groups of lambs fed experimental diet with urea. Significant elevations in the mean values of packed cell volume (38.67±4.24, 36.29±3.17 vs. 31.69±3.40), total leucocytes count (16.73±1.32, 14.23±0.72 vs. 11.74±0.97 10³/ul³) and lymphocytes (47.32±4.88, 54.16±3.71 vs. 41.96±3.28%) were evident in the same lambs. Meanwhile, neutrophils (50.20±4.25, 43.06±3.27 vs. 56.98±3.07%) showed slight decrease in the blood of lambs in Groups 3&4. Monocytes showed significant increase in lambs of Group-2, and then decreased gradually in lambs of Groups 3&4 when compared to their levels in lambs fed control diet (4.07±1.42, 3.60±1.24 vs. 2.67±1.12%). The total erythrocyte count (13.68±1.12, 15.11±0.89 vs. 12.69±0.98 10⁶/ul³) and hemoglobin concentrations (11.81±0.26, 12.33±0.46 vs. 10.93±0.34 gm%) showed non-significant variation between different groups.