Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Replacing dietary maize with kolanut husk meal could influence growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility of rabbits

Author(s):

Patrick Okara Eburu,  Pascal Ogar Ozung

Recieved Date: 2019-10-14, Accepted Date: 2019-12-22

Abstract:

An eight-week feeding trial was carried out using forty crossbred rabbits with the sex ratio of 1:1 (male:female) to investigate the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of weaned rabbits fed different levels of kolanut husk meal (KHM). The rabbits were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments containing maize replaced by KHM at 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80% levels and designated as T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄ and T, respectively, in a completely randomized design (CRD). Data were collected on feed intake, weight gain and nutrient digestibility and subjected to one–way ANOVA. Results indicated that there were significant (P<0.05) differences in final body weight (725 - 950 g/rabbit) and total weight gain (188.75 - 426.25 g/rabbit) across the treatments. The total feed intake (438.49 - 439.93 g/rabbit) did not record any significant difference between dietary treatments. The 5 growth parameters were adversely affected at levels beyond 40% KHM. The digestibility of all nutrients (crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract, dry matter, nitrogen free extracts (NFE) and ash) were significantly (P<0.05) reduced compared to the control, especially at levels >40% KHM. This study concludes that replacing dietary maize with ≤ 40% KHM may not adversely influence growth performance and nutrient digestibility of rabbits. However, levels beyond 40% are not recommended in view of the apparent danger on the animals.

Keywords:

Caffeine, non-conventional feedstuff, rabbits, utilization

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2020
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 46-50

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