Effect of spent mushroom substrate on the growth performance and economy of production of rabbits

Abstract

A nine week feeding study was conducted to determine the effect of spent mushroom substrate (SMS) as a replacement for wheat offal on the growth performance and economy of production of rabbits. The study was conducted at the rabbitary unit of the department of animal production, School of Agriculture, Lagos state polytechnic, Lagos. A total of twenty-four rabbits were allotted to four treatment groups, replicated three times with two rabbits per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). SMS was incorporated into the rabbit diets at 0%, 25%, 50% and 75% level of inclusion to replace wheat offals. Performance was evaluated based on feed intake, live weight gain, feed conversion ratio, protein intake and protein efficiency ratio. The economy of production was also determined. Feed intake increased as the level of SMS inclusion increased. The weight gain/day of those rabbits fed diet 3 (15.08g) was the highest while those fed diet 2 (12.83g) had the lowest weight gain. The feed conversion ratio adjudged diet 1 (4.72) better than other diets. The cost /kg of feed reduce as the level of inclusion of SMS increased, from N90.06 to N79.85. Rabbits on the control diet had the best cost of feed /kg weight gain (N425.08) followed by those on diet 4. Best returns/profit was in diet 4. Conclusively SMS can be used to replace wheat offal at 75% level with no adverse effects on rabbit performance.

Keywords: Spent Mushroom Substrate, Wheat offals, Weaned Rabbits, performance cost