Agricultural Journal

Year: 2012
Volume: 7
Issue: 5
Page No. 282 - 285

Response of Weaner Rabbits Fed Graded Levels of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc) Offal Diets

Authors : M.O. Ironkwe and K.U. Amaefule

Abstract: This study was conducted with sixty hybrid (Chinchilla and New Zealand white) weaner rabbit of 5 weeks old to determine their response to graded levels of raw Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc) Offal (BGO) diets. The groups were randomly assigned to five diets in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) experiment. Treatment groups were designated as treatments 1-5. There were twelve rabbits per treatment and each treatment was replicated three times with four rabbits per replicate. The inclusion level of Bambara Groundnut Offal (BGO) in the diet was 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%, respectively. And the experiment lasted for eight weeks, parameters measured were final live weight, weight gain, feed and protein intake, feed conversion ratio, Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), feed cost and carcass quality. The result of the experiment showed that there were significant (p<0.05) differences in daily feed intake, protein intake, protein efficiency ratio, dressed percentage and intestinal weight. Rabbits fed 15% BGO diet had numerically higher daily weight gain (25.10 g), final live weight (2.18 kg), better Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) of 3.26, Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) of 3.43 and lowest cost per kg live weight gain (N100) than rabbits fed other graded levels. Increase in the inclusion level of BGO in the diets resulted in a significantly (p<0.05) increase in the total feed cost. It was concluded that weaner rabbits could be fed 15% BGO diets to enhance daily weight gain and final live weight.

How to cite this article:

M.O. Ironkwe and K.U. Amaefule, 2012. Response of Weaner Rabbits Fed Graded Levels of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verdc) Offal Diets. Agricultural Journal, 7: 282-285.

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