Abstract
The increase search for easily available and cheaper alternative sources of proteins to meet up the increase protein demand necessitated the present study which was design to assess the effects of graded levels of jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) seed inclusion in the diets of weaners rats. Twenty-five weaner rats were allocated into five groups of formulated diet consisting of treatment 1 - 5 in which soya bean was replaced with Ziziphus mauritiana seed at 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% respectively for 3 weeks. Effects of the diets on lipid profile, haematology and serum chemistry were evaluated. Rats fed 25%, 50% and 100% Z. mauritiana had significantly higher feed intake and weight gain when compared with the normal control. All levels of inclusion tested increases the concentrations of serum total proteins and bilirubin but decreases the cholesterol and platelet counts when compared with the control. No diet related alterations were recorded for the relative organ’s ratio, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, albumins, urea, creatinine, sodium, chloride, high- and low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride and hematological indices analyzed. However, seed inclusion only at 100% significantly (p<0.05) increases the total white blood cell count and relative liver weight ratio. Ziziphus mauritiana seed possess good dietary protein quality for optimal growth of rats and does not elicit any adverse effect on haematological and serum biochemical indices of organs integrity.