INFLUENCE OF AFRICAN LOCUST BEAN (Parkia biglobosa) FRUIT PULP DIETS ON THE ECONOMY OF FEED CONVERSION AND SENSORY PROPERTIES OF RABBITS

Abstract

Forty five (45) mixed sex weaner rabbits of between five to six weeks of age, with an average weight of 700.00 ± 0.05 g, were used for this study. They were randomly allotted to five treatment diets, consisting of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 % dietary inclusion levels of Parkia biglobosa fruit pulp (PBFP) in a completely randomized design experiment to determine the influence of feeding PBFP diets on the economy of feed conversion and sensory properties of rabbits. The feeding trial lasted for12 weeks, during which data on feed intake and weight gain were recorded. At the end of the feeding trial, 15 rabbits were randomly selected, one from each replicate, and slaughtered, by severing their throats with a sharp knife at the neck region. Lean meat samples from the lumbar region were used for sensory evaluation: they were boiled in water with salt seasoning for 30 minutes at 100 oC; allowed to cool, cut into small sizes of about 20 g and served to a 20-member semi-trained taste panel who assessed the organoleptic properties of the meat for each treatment using a 9-point Hedonic scale. Results showed that there were significant (P<0.05) differences in the colour and tenderness of the meat of rabbits, whereas juiciness, flavour and general acceptability did not show any significant (P>0.05) difference across the treatment groups. Higher scores were recorded for meat from rabbits fed 20 % dietary inclusion level of PBFP for all the sensory parameters. It is therefore concluded that inclusion of PBFP in the diets of weaner rabbits at 20 % produced the optimum effect on economy of feed conversion and sensory properties of rabbit meat