PERFORMANCE OF MALE AND FEMALE WEANED RABBITS FED XYLOPIA AETHIOPICA AND MONODORA MYRISTICA SEED POWDER AS FEED ADDITIVES

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the performance of thirty-two (32) weaned rabbits fed diets containing Xylopia aethiopica seed meal (XSM) and Monodora myristica seed meal (MSM). Four experimental diets (T1, T2, T3 and T4) were formulated such that Treatment 1 being the control group received diet containing neither MSM nor XSM. Treatment 2 and 3 received diets containing 1% each of XSM and MSM while treatment 4 received mixture of both XSM and MSM at 0.5% each. The treatments were replicated four times with two rabbits per replicate and a total of eight rabbits (4 males &4 females) per treatment in a randomized complete block design. The trial lasted for 12 weeks. Result showed no significant differences (P>0.05) in final weights and total weight gain of the rabbits across the treatments although T3 recorded the highest statistical value. Significant (P<0.05) increase in feed intake was obtained in T3. Slight improvements in feed conversion ratio values were also observed in T3 and T4. Sex effect indicates reduction in feed intake and weight gain for male rabbit on diet 2. No mortality was recorded in the course of the experiment. It is therefore recommended that 1% of Monodora myristica can be used as additive in rabbit diet to improve feed intake and weight gain or its combination with Xylopia aethiopica to maintain weight gain specially for the rabbit bucks.