Abstract
Ever-increasing trends in the human population warrant having nutritional security, economic sustainability and food adequacy. Thus, this study aimed at determining the herbage yield of Hydroponic Yellow Maize Fodder (HYMF) as well as its impact on growth performance, carcass characteristic and organ proportion of weaner rabbit. Maize seeds procured from Ubani market were cleaned, sterilized using hydrogen peroxide and soaked in clean water for 4hrs before planting in a nutrient solution. A total number of eighteen weaned rabbits were distributed into 3 treatments of 6 animals per treatment and replicated three times with 2 animals per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The animals were placed on three different diets (T1: 100% concentrate, T2: 50% concentrate and 50% HYMF and T3: 100% HYMF). The experiment lasted for 42 days. The result of the study showed that the herbage yield of HYMF was 306%. The final and total body weight gain of rabbits in T1 was significantly (P<0.05) higher than rabbits in T3. Rabbits on T1 had significantly (P<0.05) higher values in all the parameters with exception of backcut and % dressed weight in comparison to other treatments in both the carcass characteristics and organ proportions. It was concluded that Hydroponic Yellow Maize Fodder in high (100%) inclusion levels is not favourable in weaner rabbit, but have a very high herbage yield.
Published Version
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