Nutritional Efficiency of Selected Unconventional Forages in Diets of Weaner Rabbits

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to compare the dietary efficiency of Moringa oleifera and Centrosema pubescens in rabbit nutrition. Twenty four weaner rabbits weighing between 451.25 and 452.50g were allotted to three treatment diets containing Moringa oleifera, Tephrosia candida and Centrosema pubescens in a completely randomized design. The rabbits were fed a combination of forage and concentrate diets in the ratio 1:1. Feeding was done at 5% body weight. Parameters measured include Average daily intake, Average daily weight gain, Crude protein digestibility and Nitrogen utilization. Average daily feed intake of rabbits on M. oleifera (18.32g) and T. candida (17.87g) were similar (P>0.05) and higher (P < 0.05) than rabbits on C. pubescens forage (15. 64g). Crude protein digestibility increased (P < 0.05) from 81.24 g/100g in rabbits fed C. pubescens to 84.71 g/100g in M. oleifera fed rabbits Similar trends were observed for the Nitrogen retention and Total weight gain as the highest (P < 0.05) Nitrogen Retention and Total weight gain were recorded for rabbits on M. oleifera forage (71.60% and 847.50g respectively) followed by those on T. candida (67.80% and 822.50g respectively) and the least (60.39% and 817.50g respectively) for rabbits on C. pubescens forage. It was therefore concluded that Moringa oleifera forage gave the best performance in terms of, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen utilization and total weight gain.

Keywords: Crude protein digestibility, Forage, Nitrogen retention, Total weight gain.