Assuaging Effects of Ingestions of Vitamins C and E on the Blood Parameters of Growing Pigs Fed Crude Oil-Contaminated Diets

Abstract

The assuaging effects of the dietary ingestions of vitamins C and E on the hematological parameters of growing pigs that consumed crude oil-contaminated diets were investigated. 18 Landrace growing pigs weighing 9 – 10 kg were used in the study. There were 3 dietary treatments as: diet 1 {(T₀) the negative control diet}, diet 2 {(T₁) containing crude oil at 15g/kg of diet} and diet 3 {(T₂) (as in T₁ + 200mg of vitamins C and E/kg of diet} as 100mg of vitamin C and 100mg of vitamin E, respectively with 6 replications per treatment. The experiment lasted for 4 weeks. The hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations, packed cell volume (PCV) and red blood cell (RBC) counts of the negative control diet animals (T₀) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of animals on diet 2 (T₁).  However, animals on diet 3 (T₂) had similar (P > 0.05) RBC counts with those of T₀ diet. T₂ animals also had significantly higher (P < 0.05) Hb and PCV values compared with animals on the T₁ diet. In the white blood cell (WBC) counts, animals of the T₀ diet had significantly higher (P < 0.05) value compared with animals of the T₁ and T₂ diets. However, animals of the T₂ diet demonstrated significantly higher (P < 0.05) WBC counts compared to those of T₁ diet. It was concluded that vitamins C and E have assuaging potentials on the adverse effects of crude oil on the hematological parameters of the growing pig.