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Pakistan Journal of Nutrition

Year: 2008 | Volume: 7 | Issue: 5 | Page No.: 700-704
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Authors

A.H. Akinmutimi

O.C. Anakebe

Keywords

Research Article

Performance of Weaner Rabbits Fed Graded Levels of Yam and Sweet Potato Peel Meal in Place of Maize-Based Diet

A.H. Akinmutimi and O.C. Anakebe
Performance of weaner rabbits fed graded levels of yam and sweet potato peel meal in place of maize based diet was investigated using 20 weaner rabbits of average weight of 389 ± 55g. They were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatment groups having 2 replicates with 2 rabbits per replicate in a completely randomized design. Diet I was maize based and served as control diet. The test ingredients replaced maize at 20%, 30 % 40% and 50 % in diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. The yam and sweet potato peel meals were combined in ratio 3:2.Each diet was offered ad libitum for a period of 56 days. The proximate composition and gross energy (G E) of the test ingredients are as follows: DM (89.74, 89.61), crude protein (6.34, 11.1) ether extract (1.3, 1.3), crude fibre (0.36, 7.20) ash (4.58, 10.17), nitrogen free extract (70.39, 77.13), and gross energy (3.21, 2.98). The anti-nutritional factors of the test ingredients are as follows: Tannin (0.60, 0.22 %), saponin (0.90, 0.67%), trypsin inhibitors (0.00, 0.00) and phytate (0.94, 0.74 %). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) for all the growth parameters considered except for feed intake. The values significantly (P<0.05) increased as the quantity of the test ingredients increased. The feed conversion ratio values (7.9900,7.2900, 7.4150, 6.5600 and 7.6550) numerically favoured diet 4. Carcass characteristics values showed significant difference for percentage dressed weight and drumstick only. The percentage dressed weight for all the treatment groups fell within the normal range of dressing percentage of rabbits. The drumstick values (4.7400, 5.0000, 7.4100, 7.6900 and 7.1400) favoured diet 4 among others. The weight of organs showed no significant difference among treatment groups except for the heart, values of which did not follow any specific pattern that could be attributed to the effect of the test ingredients. Biochemical values showed no significant difference except for the value of total protein; this and other biochemical parameters (total protein, urea, creatinine and alkaline phosphatase) fall within the normal range of biochemical indices for rabbits. Gross margin values (N780.6000, N1070.7350, N1061.0100, N1260.1430, N1148.0800) favoured diet 4 among others. Judging from growth performance, carcass characteristics, organ weights, biochemical indices and economics of the diet, diet 4 is recommended.
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