Hematological and Serum Biochemical Parameters of Korean Native Goats Fed with Spent Mushroom Substrate

Abstract

Korean native black goats were used to investigate the additive effect of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) derived from Pleurotus eryngii on the hematological and biochemical properties of blood during growth. Forty five goats (five and six months old, 16.2 +/- 1.39 kg) were fed three different levels of SMS (0, 15 and 20%) in a diet based on corn-brewer's grain for 6 weeks. Goats fed a 15 % SMS diet for 6 weeks had significantly higher blood white cell (WBCs) and lymphocyte (LY) counts than goats fed a 20% SMS diet or controls. Most serum biochemical parameters including the total protein, albumin, Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol levels were not influenced by SMS- based diet. However, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the 15 and 20% groups than in controls. SMS in diet did not affect serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, or iron. On the other hand, 15% SMS increased serum IGF-I concentrations. These results show that diets containing SMS can increase blood WBC, LY counts, IGF-I concentrations and decrease serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations which SMS suggests that SMS in diet can affect the physiologic conditions of growing goats positively.