RESPONSE OF RABBIT STODIETS CONTAINING DRIED WATERMELON RIND

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Theincreasingcostofconventionalfeedingredientsnecessitatesexploringalternativefeedsourcesfor sustainablerabbitproduction.Theuseofalternativeenergysourcesuchasdriedwatermelonrindmeal mayreducecostofrabbitproductionThisstudyevaluatedtheeffectofgradedlevelofdriedwatermelon rind(DWMR)asreplacementformaizeonperformanceofweanerandgrowerrabbits.Atotalnumber ofeighty(80)unsexedmixedbreedweanerrabbitswithanaverageweightof630gwereallotedtofour treatmentgroups(0,5,10and15%)inclusionlevelsofDWMR withtwenty(20)rabbitspertreatment onweightequalisationbasis.Thefeedingtriallasted foraperiodof98days withdatacollectedongrowth performance,nutrientdigestibility,blood parameters, carcasscharacteristicsandliverhistology subjected toone-wayanalysisofvariance.Resultsshowedthatnutrientdigestibility forweanerandgrowerrabbit werenotsignificantlydifferent(p>0.05),however,weanerrabbitsfed5%DWMRhadhigher(p<0.05) finalweightandweightgain(1391.25/gand762.31/g)thanthosefed10%DWMRthoughcomparable torabbits fed0and15%DWMR.Conversely, growerrabbits fed15%DWMRrecorded higher(p<0.05) feedintakethanrabbitsfed10%,thoughsimilaras0%and5%DWMR .Costbenefitanalysisofdiets ofweaner and grower rabbitscontaining 0% DWMR hadthe highest feed cost (H559; N545.50) respectively, while15%DWMR had theleastfeedcost(K464;K450.50).Furthermore, theredblood cell(RBC)forweanerrabbitsoncontroldiet(0%DWMR)wassignificantlyhigher(p<0.05)than15% DWMR,butcomparabletoRBCofrabbitson5and10%DWMRdiets.Amonggrowerrabbits,highest (p<0.05)RBC(7.17x10'2/L)wasrecordedat10%DWMR,whileleastvalue(6.55xl012/L)wasrecorded at5%inclusion. Forserum parameters, weaner rabbits fed DWMR at5,10and15% recorded higher (p<0.05)valuesfortotalprotein,albumin,andglobulin,compared tothecontrolgroup,whilehighest (p<0.05)glucose(92.17 mg/dl)wasrecordedat15%,butleastvalues(67.98 mg/dl)at5%forgrower rabbit.Theeviscerated anddressed weights oftherabbits weresignificantly (p<0.05) higher at0and 10%DWMR.Also,hindlimbandchestweightsweresignificantly(p<0.05)influencedwithhigher

values at 0, 5 and 10% inclusion levels. Liver, heart and kidney weights varied significantly (p<0.05), withhighestvaluesobservedat10%DWMR.Histologicalanalysisrevealednormalhistologicalstructure at5%inclusionlevels.ThestudyconcludedthatDWMRat5%inclusionlevelisoptimalforbettergrowth performance and cost benefit of weaner rabbits without adverse effect, while 10% inclusion level is recommended for better carcass yield and reduced cost for grower rabbits.