EFFECTS OF FEEDING MISTLETOE (Tapinanthus bengwensis) Leaves From DIFFERENT HOST PLANTS ON THE CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF RABBITS (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Abstract

A feeding trial was carried out to investigate the effects of feeding mistletoe (Tapinanthus bengwensis) leaves from different host plants on the carcass characteristics of rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Sixteen (16) weaned rabbits of mixed breed and sex were randomly allotted to four treatment groups designated T1, T2, T3, T4 and replicated in a completely randomized design (CRD). T1 served as the control and were not fed mistletoe leaves while T2, T3, T4 were fed with mistletoe (Tapinanthus bangwensis) leaves from shea butter, almond and locust bean trees, respectively. A common concentrate diet having 17% crude protein and 2780.95Kcal/Kg digestible energy was fed to them throughout the thirteen (13) week study period. At the end of the study,two rabbits were randomly selected from each treatment and subjected to carcass analysis. It was concluded that mistletoe (Tapinanthus bangwensis) leaves from locust bean, almond tree and shea butter tree can be fed to growing rabbits with a common feed containing 17 % CP to obtain a high carcass quality.