Author(s)

Emmanuel U. Anaso^*, John O. Alagbe

Affiliation(s)

Department of Animal Science, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.

Corresponding Author

Emmanuel U. Anaso

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the current investigation was to ascertain the impact of the essential oil derived from Schum (Piliostigma thonningii) seeds on body thermoregulation and serum mineral parameters in the bucks. Three treatment groups of fifteen rabbits each were randomly assigned to the treatments and balanced for their body weight (BW) so that the average beginning weight of the rabbits in each group was similar. The average initial body weight was 0.27 kg in a fully randomised experimental design. Treatment 1 was a basal control diet. In treatments 2 and 3, the basal control diet was supplemented with 2 ml PEO/kg diet and 4 ml PEO/kg diet respectively. Serum bicarbonate increased (P < 0.05) with increasing level of PEO supplementation. While serum calcium, potassium, sodium, chlorine was higher (P < 0.05) in T2 and T3 than in T1. Serum phosphorus was higher (P < 0.05) in T3 than T1 with T2 being intermediate (P > 0.05) between T1 and T3. Rectal temperature was greater (P < 0.05) in T1 than in T2 and T3. Serum magnesium, heart and respiratory rates were not affected (P > 0.05) by treatments. It was therefore concluded that P. thonningii essential oil supplementation enhanced body thermoregulation by decreasing the experimental animal’s temperature and serum minerals profile of the experimental rabbits.  However, 4 ml PEO/kg diet is the optimum supplementation level, as it was more effective in enhancing the physiological health.

KEYWORDS

Bucks; Tropical phytogenic feed supplement; Body vitals; Serum minerals

CITE THIS PAPER

Emmanuel U. Anaso, John O. Alagbe. Body thermoregulatory adaptation and blood serum mineral metabolic profile of rabbits supplemented camel’s foot (schum) seed essential oil based diet. Journal of Chemistry Science. 2025, 2(1): 1-6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61784/jcs3002.

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