Abstract
Grasscutters (Thyronomys swinderianus) reared intensively for meat production is often exposed to stress and inadequate feeding as a result of their wasteful feeding habits. Vernonia amygdalina leaves have been used in the mediation of stress and as nutriceutical in animal and human health. This study investigated the growth performance and carcass evaluation of weaner grasscutters fed Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal supplemented diets. A total of thirty-six weaner grasscutters of mixed sexes weighing between 281.33 and 304.21g were allotted to six treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD). The animals were randomly assigned to six treatments made up of six grasscutters each. The treatment A (control) given feed without Vernonia amygdalina (VA) leaf meal, B had 1g VA/kg feed, C had 2g VA/ kg feed, D had 3g VA/kg feed, E had 4g VA/kg feed and F had 5g VA/kg feed. Feeding was done for a period of seven (7) weeks. Data collected were subjected to analysis using statistical analysis system (SAS), 2008 model and mean differences separated with Tukey studentized range test. The result showed significant (p<0.05) differences in total feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.01. The carcass evaluation showed an improvement in carcass weight, foreleg, fore muscle, shoulder bone, rib, chest muscle, loin bone and loin muscle with VA treated diets with a significantly (p<0.05) better performance in those given 3g VA/kg feed. There was also a significant (p<0.05) improvement in the haematology and hepatic parameters except platelets, AST and ALT. In conclusion, grasscutters can be fed 3gVA/kg feed in a pellet form for enhanced growth performance and carcass characteristics, an indication that VA had growth promoting ability that enhance carcass yield.
Highlights
Grasscutters (Thyronomys swinderianus) reared intensively for meat production is often exposed to stress and inadequate feeding as a result of their wasteful feeding habits
The results showed that there was significant (p
It has been reported that an increase in dietary components of crude fibre (CF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) decreased digestibility and daily weight gain in grasscutter (Karikari and Nyameasem, 2009). van Zyl et al (2009) reported that high dietary fibre reduced the digestibility of dry matter (DM), protein and fat component of feed with a reduction in growth rates of grasscutters
Summary
Grasscutters (Thyronomys swinderianus) reared intensively for meat production is often exposed to stress and inadequate feeding as a result of their wasteful feeding habits. This study investigated the growth performance and carcass evaluation of weaner grasscutters fed Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal supplemented diets. The treatment A (control) given feed without Vernonia amygdalina (VA) leaf meal, B had 1g VA/kg feed, C had 2g VA/ kg feed, D had 3g VA/kg feed, E had 4g VA/kg feed and F had 5g VA/kg feed. Vernonia amygdalina (VA) is a shrub or small tree that grows throughout tropical Africa It is popularly called bitter leaf because of its abundant bitter principles (Ekpo et al, 2007). Vernonia amygdalina has been fed to broilers, where it was able to replace 300g kg-1 of maize-based diet without negative effect on feed intake, body weight gain and feed efficiency (Bonsi et al, 2015). The objectives of the study were to determine the effect of Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal on the growth performance and carcass characteristics of grasscutter
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