Determination Of Blood Nutrients In Reared Grasscutter (Thryonomys Swinderianus Temminck 1827) Subjected To A Complete Granulated Food In Benin.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies which have suggested foods for the new environment of reared grasscutter, report the composition, zootechnical performance, digestibility of these foods. However, very few investigations reveal the constitution of blood grasscutter after having provided food for measuring of concentrations blood nutrients. The main purpose of this study is the determination and assessment of blood nutrients through hematology and biochemical parameters and C-reactive protein in reared grasscutters subjected to a complete granulated food. METHODOLOGY: Eight subadult Grasscutters aged six months in Benin are subjected to different foods (foods from Cote d'Ivoire and another food usually distributed in Benin). In each animal, a blood sample is taken fasting the morning in tubes with anticoagulant and without anticoagulant. Through these blood samples, haematological and biochemical parameters were determined and evaluated through comparisons of statistical tests. RESULTS: The results of these investigations showed that the mean values of all blood nutrients were normal compared to some studies conducted elsewhere. In addition, our work has shown that both foods do not significantly different through the evaluated blood nutrients. However, concentrations of urea (28±2.8 mg/dl) and phosphorus (102.5±14.3 mmol/l) are increased in grasscutter subjected to complete granulated food compared to food usually distributed in grasscutter place of rearing (21.3±3.8 mg/dl and 78.5±9 mmol/l respectively). Furthermore, various relationships were observed between haematological, biochemical parameters, weight gain and C-reactive protein. CONCLUSION: The complete granulated food provides good and best content of nutrients in blood of subadult grasscutters.