INFLUENCE OF EXOGENOUS ENZYME IN MAIZE COB BASED DIETS ON PERFORMANCE OF GROWING RABBITS

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of exogenous enzyme in rabbits fed maize cobs (MC) based diets. Thirty weaned rabbit at 6 weeks of age, averaging 500g were randomly allotted into five (5) treatments groups, with 5 rabbits per group. Five (5) experimental iso nitrogenous diets were formulated with varied inclusion levels of MC at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 percent level of inclusion and a cock tail enzyme (Zymos N°), was included in all the treatment diets according to the manufacturers recommendation. Statistical (P<0.05) difference were observed in the total feed intake, which declined significantly (P<0.05) as level of MC inclusion increased across the dietary treatments, from 3241.5g at 10% MC to 2065.0g at 50% maize cobs inclusion level. Rabbits on 10 and 20 percent MC had significantly (P<0.05) higher and similar final weight gain (1275 and 1200 g, respectively) and the least was observed at 30, 40 and 50 % MC inclusion levels, which were similar and lower. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was best (5.68) at the 20 percent maize cobs inclusion level and least were on the 30, 40 and 50 % maize cobs treatment diets (8.56, 8.63 and 7.69, respectively). The result of this study indicated that increasing MC in the diet of growing rabbit supplemented with enzyme according to the manufacturer's recommendation did not result in appreciable increase in performance. As the level of MC increases, there is stepwise reduction in the performance of the rabbits