Performance of Growing Rabbits Fed Graded Levels of Ziziphus mauritiana Leaf Meal in a Diets

Abstract

Purpose: An eight weeks feeding trail was conducted to evaluate the performance of growing rabbits fed graded levels of Zizipus mauritiana leaf meal in a diet.

Methodology: Dietary treatment were designated A, B, C and D which were made up to 100% concentrate, 15%, 30% and 45% Ziziphus mauritiana leaf meal inclusion levels respectively, twenty cross bred growing rabbits of both sexes averaged 72.8g, balanced for weight and were used in a completely randomized experimental design. They were tattooed and randomly allocated to four dietary treatments replicated with seven rabbits. The rabbits were allowed one week pre-conditioning (adaptation) period during which the animals were collected for feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion efficiency was calculated.

Findings: There were significant (p<0.05) differences in all the parameters considered. Diet D had the highest significant (p<0.05) effect in terms of weight gain with value of 648g compared to others while the control diet recoded the least value with 436g. similarly, diet D was the most consumed and a significant (p<0.05) difference was observed between diet B and C, with the former having a higher value of 124.86g. the result further revealed that as the level of Ziziphus Mauritian leaf increased in the diets lower values for feed conversion efficiency were obtained.

Unique contribution to theory, policy, and practice: This indicates that supplementation with the test ingredient increases the efficiency with which the dies were utilized. Thus, diet D, with the most favorable results among the treatments groups is superior to others. It is therefore recommended for growing rabbits.

Key words: Rabbits, Leaf meal, feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion efficiency