Replacement value of garri sievate for maize in rabbit rations

Abstract

Graded levels of Garri Sievate (GS) were used to replace equivalent levels of maize at 0, 20, 40% levels in three isonitrogenous rabbit diets to determine the affect on growth performance. Comparison of all three treatments for growing rabbits response showed significant (P < 0.05) differences in final body weight (1300.33g at 0%, 1496.18g at 20% and 1217.13g at 40%); weight gain (961.lOg at 0%, 1154.96g at 20% and 877.02g at 40% and total feed intake (4298.45g at 10%, 4734.16g at 20% and 4223.14g at 40%). All these results were in favour of a maize-GS combination of 30% - 20% respectively. There were however, no significant (P<0.05) differences in the feed conversion ratios between treatments. There were cost savings in favour of the maize -GS combinations. The unit cost of feed/weight gain of the rabbits was least in treatment III (N0.01) and highest in treatment I (N0.02). It is concluded from this study that GS can be safely and gainfully included in rabbit diets at levels not exceeding 20%.

Keywords: Garri sievate, Maize, rabbit, body weight, feed intake.