Raw Pigeon seed meal in Weaner Rabbit Diet: Effect of Methionine Supplementation

Abstract

Effect of graded levels of methionine supplementation on the performance of weaner rabbits fed diets containing raw pigeon pea seed meal were studied in a 42-day feeding trial. Four experimental weaner rabbit diets were formulated such that raw pigeon pea seed meal (RPSM) made up 300.0g kg-1 in each diet. Methionine was respectively supplemented at 0.0, (control diet), 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 g kg-1 in the four weaner rabbit diets. These diets and water were offered ad libitum to 3 replicates of 2, six weeks old mixed breed rabbits. The results indicated that the daily weight gains were 2.62, 2.85, 5.23 and 4.64 for rabbits fed 0.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5g kg-1 methionine supplemented diets respectively. Feed intake of rabbits fed 7.55 kg-1 methionine supplemented diets was significantly (P<0.05) lower than other treatment groups except the control. Rabbits fed 0.0 and 2.5 g kg-1 methionine supplemented diets recorded significantly (p<0.05) poorer feed conversion ratio than rabbits fed 5.0 and 7.55 kg-1 methionine supplemented diets. The feed cost per kg weight gains were ₦363.58, ₦351.49, ₦197.64, ₦204.38 for rabbits fed 0.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 g kg-1 methionine supplemented diets respectively. It would appear that weaner rabbits performed best on 300.0g kg-1 raw pigeon pea seed meal diet when supplemented with methionine at 5.0g kg-1 diet.