The early-life fast growing rate of modern strains of domestic animals comes with a number of problems which may include incidence of metabolic disorders, blood related diseases, skeletal diseases, mortality and morbidity. To this effect, this study was carried out to investigate the effects of graded levels of sundried cassava starch extract pulp (SCSEP) on blood indices (haematology, serum, white blood cell differential counts and serum biochemistry) of crossbred (Largewhite x Landrace) weaned pigs. Sixteen (16) eight weeks old weaned pigs were randomly allotted into four dietary treatments containing 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% levels of sundried cassava starch extract pulp inclusion represented as T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. Each treatment had four pigs with two replicates each individually penned.The experimental design used was Completely Randomized Design (CRD). At the end of the feeding trial, blood sample (5ml) were collected from one pig in each replicate per treatment via the ear vein puncture using sterilized needle and syringe and taken to the laboratory for haematological and serum biochemistry analysis. Data obtained in each measured parameter was subjected to analysis of variance.Equal half of each sample was emptied into two different sets of bottles. One containing Ethylene DiamineTetraacetic Acid (EDTA) anticoagulant to determine packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), platelet and white blood cell differential counts ( lymphocyte, neutrophil,monocyte,eosinophil and mean cell volume contents while the other without anticoagulant for serum biochemical parameters ( serum protein, globulin, albumin, cholesterol serum aspartate aminotransferase, serum alanine aminotransferase and serum alkaline phosphatase).Pigs fed diet 4(75% sundried cassava starch extract pulp) had higher packed cell volume, haemoglobin and red blood cell of 40.67%, 13.40g% and 6.42x106. However, pigs maintained on diet 3 (50% sundried cassava starch extract pulp) recorded the highest values of 66.00x103u/l and 112.00x103 for white blood cell and platelet respectively. For white blood cell differential counts T3 compared favourably with the control for percent lymphocyte, eosinophil and mean cell haemoglobin. Neutrophil, monocyte and mean cell volume were significantly (p<0.05) affected. Diets 4, 2 and 3 had a higher (p<0.05) than that of the control diets (42.00%, 3.00% and 61.07). Serum protein, albumin and cholesterol were significantly (p<0.05) affected. Diet 4 had a higher (p<0.05) serum protein and albumin than that of the control diet (6.50g/dl and 2.80g/dl). Serum protein ranged from (6.50g/dl – 7.39g/dl) in diets 1 and 4 and albumin ranged from (2.80g/dl – 3.70g/dl). For cholesterol, the value ranged from (117.33g/dl – 144.00g/dl).Globulin value compared favourably with the control. Sundried cassava starch extract pulp had significant (p<0.05) effect on aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (AST). It can be concluded that sundried cassava starch extract pulp can be included in the diet of crossbred weaned pigs at 75% level without any adverse effects on the blood indices of the pigs.

Keywords: Cassava starch extract pulp; crossbred;haematology; serum; sundried; weaned pigs