Effect of Sweet Potato (Pomoea batatas Lam.) Peel Meal as Replacement of Maize on Growth Performance and Cost of Feeding Weaner Rabbits

Résumé

The experiment was carried out to determine the effect of replacing maize with sweet potatopeel meal (SPPM) on growth performance and cost of feeding weaner rabbits. A total number of thirty six (36) weaned rabbit of mixed sexes were used for the experiment. The rabbits were allotted randomly into four dietary treatments and replicated thrice and were designated: control (T₁): normal compounded diet without SPPM, (T₂) contain 5% SPPM, (T₃) contain10% SPPM(T₄) contains 15% SPPM. The experiment lasted for eight weeks and data were obtained on growth performance and cost feeding. The results obtained on growth performance showed that there were no significant difference (p>0.05) in the values of growth performance obtained. Result obtained on cost of feeding were not significantly different (p>0.05) in values, however, higher profit index was recorded ion T₄ and lowest in T₁ . This indicates that SPPM can be used up to 15% in the diet of rabbit as a good replacement for maize in rabbit production without any adverse effect on the performance of rabbit.