THE BLOOD PICTURE OF SHEEP FED ON FRESH AND DRIED MARROW-STEM KALE

Abstract

Sheep were used to compare the anemia effects of fresh marrow-stem kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala D.C.) with low-temperature dehydrated marrow-stem kale (MSK). There was a drop in hemoglobin (P < 0.01), packed-cell volume (P < 0.05), and red blood cell count (P < 0.05) after the 4th, 5th, and 6th wk, respectively, of feeding fresh MSK. Similar drops in hemoglobin (P < 0.05), packed-cell volume (P < 0.05), and red cell count (P < 0.05) occurred after the 4th wk of feeding dried MSK. Formation of Heinz-Ehrlich bodies peaked at the corresponding lowest values of hemoglobin and packed-cell volume for both fresh and dried MSK. These criteria returned almost to normal in the 2nd and 3rd wk after stopping the feeding of kale and using ground hay as the entire ration instead. It was concluded that high levels of either fresh or dried MSK could not be fed to sheep even for a relatively short period of time.