PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF FEEDING DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIBRE SOURCES TO WEANER RABBITS

Résumé

A study was conducted to evaluate the performance and cost benefits of raising weaner rabbits fed with wheat offal, maize offal, and millet offal and rice bran. The study lasted for 56 days. Thirty two (32) weaner rabbits (mongered breeds) with an average live weight of 768.75-868.75g were allocated to the treatment diets with eight rabbits per treatment and two per replicate in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were provided to the weaner rabbits ad libitum. The results of total feed intake, daily feed intake, daily weight gain, total weight gain, not affected (P>0.05) by dietary treatments and feed conversion ratio were statistically analyzed and indicated that, the inclusion in the diets of rabbits supported no significant growth performance of the rabbits. Therefore, use of these offals at levels up to 30% in rabbit’s diets should be encouraged. Millet offal seems to be the cheapest (N193.55) among the test ingredients