Authors : O.T. Omotoso , R.F. Ogunleye and J.B. Edward
Abstract: One hundred and twenty six laboratory rats, Rattus norvegicus (63 males and 63 females) were used in a 5 months trial to study the effects of dietary supplements on the growth, reproductive capacity and offspring birth-weights of the rats. The rats were randomly distributed into 7 dietary groups tagged dietary A (poultry starter mash+groundnut cake meal), dietary B (poultry starter mash+prawn meal), dietary C (poultry starter mash+soyabean meal), dietary D (poultry starter mash+fish meal), dietary E (poultry starter mash+groundnut meal), dietary F (poultry starter mash+blood meal) and dietary G, the control (poultry starter mash only). The highest weight gain was obtained by male rats fed with diet D (45.66 g) while the least weight was observed in male rats fed with diet F (26.98 g). Female rats fed with diet B had the longest tail length (18.40 cm) while male rats fed with the same diet recorded 16.10 cm. The highest number of offspring (7) were produced by female rat fed on diet D. The average birth-weight of the offspring was 3.56 g. The offspring of the rats fed with diet A had th highst birth-weight (4.36 g).
O.T. Omotoso , R.F. Ogunleye and J.B. Edward , 2008. Protein Supplements Utilization and Their Effects on the Growth, Reproductive Capacity and Offspring Birth Weights of the Laboratory Rat, Rattus norvegicus. Research Journal of Animal Sciences, 2: 96-99.