Growth Performance and Economics of Production of Growing Rabbits Fed Diets with Graded Levels of Faidherbia albida and Prosopis africana Fruit Meals
Abstract
Abstract
The study was conducted at the rabbit unit of the Adamawa State University Teaching and Research farm, Mubi, to assess the effects of feeding Faidherbia albida and Prosopis africana fruit meals to growing rabbits on their growth and economic performance. The test materials were sourced from Yewa forest in Mubi, while the rabbits (mixed breed) were purchased from a rabbit farmer in Mubi metropolis. The test materials were pulverised and kept safe until they were used to compound the diets. The rabbits were allowed one week of acclimatisation before the trial began. The study examined varying levels of P. africana and F. albida fruit meal at 10 and 15%, designated as: 10PA (10% inclusion of P. africana); 15PA (15% inclusion of P. africana); 10FA (10% inclusion of F. albida); 15FA (15% inclusion of F. albida); and the control diet had neither P. africana nor F. albida. At the start of the experiment, four rabbits were randomly allocated to each of the dietary treatments, with each rabbit as a replicate in a completely randomised design. Data on feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and economic efficiency were recorded. The results obtained revealed significant (P<0.05) effects on most of the parameters measured. Daily weight gain (27.55 g/rabbit/day) and FCR (1.71) were higher (P<0.05) in 10FA, while daily feed intake (52.08 g/rabbit/day) was higher (P<0.05) in 15FA compared to the control diet. Cost/kg feed (₦718.72) was lower in 15FA; total cost of feed (₦2491.42) and feed cost/kg gain (₦1291.73) were lower in 10FA, while cost saving was higher in 10FA (₦63.06) compared to the control diet. It can therefore be concluded from the study that feeding 10 g/kg of Faidherbia albida fruit meal in the diets of growing rabbits promoted better feed efficiency and more cost savings.
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References
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