- August 31, 2020
- Posted by: RSIS Team
- Categories: Animal Science, IJRIAS
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume V, Issue IV, July 2020 | ISSN 2454-6194
Uzohuo U.*, Akinlosoye J.J.
Department of Agricultural Technology, Federal Polytechnic ile-oluji, Ondo State, Nigeria
*Corresponding Author
Abstract: The study was conducted to evaluate the growth response of Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) fed diets containing varying levels of fermented cassava/ palm kernel meal. 80 grower Rabbits of a New Zealand white x dutch breed with average weight of 600g were assigned to five dietary treatment in a completely randomised design.
The rabbits were of 5 groups of 16 rabbits; each replicate four times i.e. 4 rabbits per replicate and reared in indoor hutch of 1m x 1m x 0.6m for 56 days. Soyabean meal as a major protein source was gradually replaced in the diet with fermented cassava/palm kernel meal at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% respectively. In the control diet, there was no cassava/ palm kernel meal. Rabbit were fed ad-libtum for 56 days. The growth response and nutrient utilization were evaluated base on feed conversion ration (FCR), protein efficiency ration (PER), and specific growth rate (SGR) as parameters. The highest feed conversion ratio of 6.39 was obtained from test diet 5 (40%) while the least value of 4.1 was obtained from the control group, indicating that feed was better utilized by the rabbit fed the control diet (p<0.05). The least value for specific growth rate (0.54) was obtained from the Diets 5 (40%), while the value of 1.04 was recorded from control group (p<0.05). This research shows that fermented cassava/palm kernel meal can be included up to 20 % in ration of grower rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), without negative effect on growth performance.
Keywords: Anaerobic, Cassava/palm kernel meal, Diets, Growth, Rabbit.
