Feed Intake Of Rabbits Research Articles

EFFECT OF INCLUSION LEVELS OF FICUS (Ficus sycomorus) AND AFRICAN LOCUST BEANS (Parkia biglobosa) LEAF MEALS DIET ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF GROWER RABBITS

Sixteen (16) cross bred growing rabbits of both sexes were used for the experiment to investigate, the performance of growing rabbits fed four (4) dietary levels of Ficus sycomorus and Parkia biglobosa leaf meals (FLM & PLM). The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD). The rabbits were randomly selected and allotted into four (4) treatments of four (4) rabbits per treatment. Each treatment had one rabbit as replicates per clutchs. Treatments 1,2,3 and 4 received 0% forage leaf meal, 5% Ficus leaf meal, 5% Parkia leaf meal, and 2.5% Ficus + 2.5% Parkia leaf meals respectively. The results obtained in this study revealed that feed intake of rabbits on diet 4 (85.39g), 1 (83.38g) and 2 (72.19g) were statistically similar (P>0.05) and significantly (P>0.05) higher than those fed diet 3 (66.73g). Rabbits on T1 diet attained the highest daily weight gain (15.18g) compared to rabbits on T4 (15.04), T2 (12.14g) and T3 (11.77g) respectively. Feed cost (N/Kg), cost/kg gain and daily cost/rabbit (N/d) decreased with inclusion level of forage meal in the diets, while T1 recorded the highest cost in all aspects. Feed conversion ratio was similar (P>0.05) across the treatments.

Effects of dietary starch sources on pellet-processing characteristics, growth performance and caecal microflora of meat rabbits.

This study evaluated the effects of starch sources on pellet-processing characteristics as well as the growth performance and caecal microflora of rabbits. Ninety-six 35-day-old rabbits were randomly allocated to four groups with 24 rabbits per group and were fed diets with different starch sources (corn, wheat, potato or pea starch). The trial lasted for 40days. The greatest hardness and lowest powder ratio of feed pellets was associated with the use of potato starch (p>0.05). Pellet bulk density was the highest with corn starch, and the density was greater than that of pea starch by 5.91% (p < 0.05). The pulverisation ratio of corn starch pellets was the lowest, 43.67% lower than that of the pea starch pellets (p < 0.05). The average daily gain of rabbits in the corn starch group was higher than in the potato and pea starch groups, by 7.89% and 10.81%, respectively (p < 0.05). Rabbits in the corn starch group had the best feed conversion ratio (p > 0.05). The feed intake of rabbits in the potato starch group was higher than in the wheat and pea starch groups, by 4.30% and 5.16% respectively (p < 0.05). The dominant caecal bacteria phyla were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia and Proteobacteria. There were 12 bacterial genera with proportions greater than 0.1%. The caecal proportion of Clostridium in the pea starch group was 1.8%, which was higher than those of the other groups (p = 0.057). There was no significant difference in caecal microbial diversity among groups (p > 0.05). The highest microbial clustering effect was found in the corn starch treatment. In conclusion, the best pellet quality was found using potato starch; for rabbit growth, the optimal source was corn starch.

PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING NEW ZEALAND RABBITS FED JATROPHA CURCAS SEED MEAL

A total number of forty eight New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits 4 weeks of age and 683 + 28 g average live body weight were allotted at random to three similar experimental groups (of 16 rabbits each). Each group of rabbits was fed one of three experimental pelleted diets (16% crude protein and 13% crude fiber on average). The feeding trail extended for 9 weeks. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of partial substitution (50 or 100%) of soybean meal of control diet with different levels of jatropha seed meal (JCSM) as the sources for plant protein. on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, feed conversion ratio and economic efficiency. Results indicated that, there was no differences in the feed intake of rabbits that received diets containing JCSM and those received the control diet. Replacement of JCSM in rabbit diets significantly (P<0.05) improved the DM digestibility of diets containing 50 and 100% JCSM by 6.1 and 7.7% compared with control diet. No significant differences among the experimental groups regarding DCP and TDN. The average live body weight and body weight gain after 9 weeks showed no significant differences. The average daily gain followed the same pattern of total gain with average value of 26.89, 27.56 and 25.71g/d. Rabbits fed control diet had feed conversion ratio of 3.00 while those fed 50 and 100% JCSM had feed conversion ratio of 3.33 and 3.28, respectively. Nitrogen balance was positive in all rabbits fed experimental diets. Economic impact values of rabbits fed diets contained JCSM at marketing age (13 weeks) were higher than those of the control diet. It could be concluded that substitution of jatropha seed meal up to 50 or 100% of soybean meal in the diet of growing NZW rabbit diets improved the digestibility, daily weight gain, feed and economic impact, without any adverse effects on productive performance.