INFLUENCE OF HERBAL ADDITIVE ON IMMUNE AND HORMONAL BALANCE OF PRE PUBERTAL WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS UNDER TROPICAL ENVIRONMENT
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Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
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Department of Animal Science at the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA) in Katsina State, Nigeria
Abstract
This study evaluated the influence of dietary herbal additives on immune
and hormonal balance in pre-pubertal West African Dwarf (WAD) goats
reared under a tropical environment over a 26-week experimental period.
Twenty (20) pubertal female West African Dwarf goats with an average
age of one year were quarantined for 60 days, vaccinated against pestes des
petits ruminants, and acclimatized before commencement of the trial. The
animals were randomly assigned into four treatment groups and replicated
five (5) times with five goats per treatment: T1- Feed containing no
additive (Control), T2-10g of kolanut Pod /300g of feed, T3 - 10g of
Tomato powder/300g of feed, T4- 5g of kolanut pod and 5g of tomato
Powder/300g of feed. At the end of the trial, blood samples were collected
via jugular vein for determination of immunoglobulins and hormones using
standard assay procedures. The result revealed that immune and metabolic
hormone levels showed no significant (p>0.05) difference among
treatments. Luteinizing Hormone was significantly (p<0.05) higher in
goats fed kolanut pod (T2), while Follicle Stimulating Hormone was
highest (p<0.05) in the combination diet (T4). In this study, the herbal
additives did not affect immune parameters and metabolic hormones;
however, luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones significantly
increased. It is therefore recommended that tomato powder and kola nut
pod be incorporated as natural herbal additives.