Performance Response of Growing Rabbits Fed Sun-dried Cashew Pulp-based Diets

Abstract

Performance responses of twelve growing rabbits aged 9 weeks were evaluated in a feeding trial on 4 diets incorporated with graded levels of sun dried cashew pulp (SCP). Five growing rabbits with average initial weights of 113±2.25g were allotted to four dietary treatments containing 0, 15, 25 and 35% sundried cashew pulp (SCP) in a Complete Randomized Design. Average daily weight gain and feed intake, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio were measured for a period of eight weeks. Average daily feed intake (P<0.01), average daily gain, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio (P<0.05) were better in diets containing higher levels of SCP. Growth response of rabbits on SCP diets seems greater than cassava plus bambara waste diets; and no mortality was recorded among rabbits in the trial. SCP can be fed to growing rabbits up to 35% level of inclusion without any negative effect on the performance. The use of SCP should be encouraged in cashew growing areas since it is suitable to support faster growth in rabbits, and cheap to obtain especially at dry season when manual cassava harvesting may be constrained by hardened soil pan.