**7. Method of data collection**

After an adjustment period of one week, daily data collection followed. The animals were fasted by withdrawing feed only for 14- 16 hours and allowing them access to water. The body weight were taken after the fasting prior to the commencement of the experiment and taken again every fortnight. Feed residues and left-over water were recorded every morning before fresh feeds and water were supplied.

Pulse rate was taken for each animal by placing the finger on the femoral arteries on the medial aspect of the hind limb for one minute using a stop-watch, respiratory rate was taken for each animal by counting the number of flank movements per minute using stop-watch while the rectal temperature was taken using a clinical thermometer which was allowed to stay in the rectum of each animal for one minute before the reading was taken. (Fasoro, 1999). The physiological parameters (pulse rate, respiratory rate and rectal temperature) were taken for three consecutive days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) before the commencement of the experiment and every fortnight on each animal between 7 and 9a.m on each day. The average air temperature and relative humidity recorded during this study were 350C and 54.5% respectively using wet and dry thermometer.
