ABSTRACT
A study involving two experiments was conducted to
investigate the growth performance of rabbits fed diets containing graded
levels of cowpea hull (CPH) and soybean hull (SBH). Thirty-two weaner rabbits
of about 6 weeks old were used for the study. In experiment1, sixteen 6-week
old hybrid (Chinchilla x New Zealand white) weaner rabbits of both sexes with
initial average weight of 730-790g were randomly divided into four groups of 4
rabbits each. The groups were randomly assigned to four treatment diets
containing 0, 10, 20 and 30% levels of cowpea hulls. Each treatment group was
replicated four times with a rabbit constituting a replicate placed in a four
–tier rabbit cages that had a total of 16 hutches per tier. In experiment two,
16 six-week old hybrid (Chinchilla x New Zealand white) weaner rabbits of both
sexes with initial average weight of 730-790g were randomly divided into four
groups of 4 rabbits each. The groups were randomly assigned to four treatment
diets containing 0, 10, 20 and 30% levels of soybean hulls. Each treatment
group was replicated four times with a rabbit constituting a replicate placed
in a four –tier rabbit cages that had a total of 16 hutches per tier. The
experiments lasted for 8 weeks during which the daily feed intake body weight
gain, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and feed cost per kg
weight gain were determined. The haematological parameters, digestibility
coefficients, carcass and
organ weights were also determined. Results (experiment I) showed that while
increasing levels of CPH in the diets had no significant effect (P>0.05) on
the average daily feed intake, daily protein intake and protein efficiency
ratio, they had significant effect (P<0.05) effect on average final body
weight and average daily weight gain of rabbits. Differences between the
treatments in nutrient digestibility coefficients were significant (P<0.05).
Generally, digestibility coefficients decreased with increasing level of CPH in
the diets. The inclusion of CPH in the rabbits’ diet resulted in the reduction
of the cost of feed per kg gain. Dietary treatments did not have any adverse
effect on such haematological values as the Hb, PCV, RBC, MCH, MCHC and MCV of
rabbits. However, the WBC was observed to decrease at the 30% level of
inclusion. While dietary treatments had no significant effect (P>0.05) on
organ weights of rabbits, they had significant (P<0.05) effect on live body
weight, dressed carcass weight and dressing percentage. In experiment 2,
dietary treatments had significant effect (P>0.05) on final body weight,
feed conversion ratio, and daily protein intake. However no significant
(P>0.05) differences were observe among rabbits in daily feed intake and
average daily weight gain. The effect of treatments on nutrient digestibility
coefficients were significant (P<0.05). Both DM, CP, crude fibre, ether
extract and nitrogen-free extract digestibility coefficients were significantly
(P<0.05) decreased beyond 10% SBH inclusion level. The inclusion of SBH in the diets
reduced significantly the cost of feed per kg weight gain. Inclusion levels of
SBH did not have any adverse effect on such haematological values as the Hb,
PCV, RBC, MCH, MCHC and MCV of rabbits. However, the WBC was significantly
(P<0.05) decreased at the 30% SBH inclusion level. While dietary treatments
had no significant effect (P>0.05) on organ weights of rabbits, they had
significant (P<0.05) effect on live body weight, dressed carcass weight and
dressing percentage. The results obtained in the present study show that up to
10% cowpea hull and 30% soybean hull can be included in rabbits’ diet without any
deleterious effect on growth performance, haematology and internal organs of
rabbits.
CHAPTER ONE
1.1
INTRODUCTION
Although Nigeria is the most
populous black nation in the world with great potentials and brilliant experts
in different fields of endeavour, her inability to break away from the class of
the world’s poorest nation and from the shackles of poverty despite her rich
natural and human endowment is a thing of pain (Olatunbosun, 2001). According
to Nigerianet (2003), Nigeria is the largest geographical unit in Africa with a
land area of 923,768 square kilometer. Central Bank of Nigeria (2002) reported
Nigeria’s population to be 129.9 million in 2004 based on the projected annual
growth rate of 2.8% of the revised 1991 census. At this given growth rate, the
estimated population of Nigeria would be 141.1 million in 2007. In spite of
Nigeria’s numerous natural resources which are sufficient to make her
self-reliant in animal protein production and even become main exporter of all
kinds of food items, there is an acute shortage of animal protein in Nigeria.
The demand for animal protein is far higher than the supply. The high cost of
animal protein has put it out of the reach of the average Nigerian (Ani and
Adiegwu, 2005; Ugwuene 2003). Mbanasor (2000) estimated Nigeria’s livestock
resource to consist of about 14 million cattle, 34 million goat, 22 million
sheep, 100 million poultry and 1 million horses. In a similar report, Abubakar et al.
(2003) estimated the
The domestic rabbit has the potential to become one of
the world’s most important livestock specie (Daily Times, 1981). In terms of
commercial production, the rabbit excels other livestock; cattle, sheep and
goat and ranks close to broiler chicken in terms of growth rate, feed
conversion efficiency and meat quantity, (Adegbola et al., 1986). Lebas and Metheron (1982) found that the production
of 1 kg of rabbit meat requires only a quarter of the feed energy needed to
produce the same amount of Pork. El Amin (1978) reported that it was
theoretically possible to obtain 206kg of meat in a year from a doe (assuming
15kits per litter, 10 litters in a year at market weight of 2.5kg and 55%
carcass yield on slaughter). Abe (1988) reported that about 20% of feed protein
consumed by the rabbit is converted into edible meat. Nutritionally.......
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