Locally-processed cowpea husk improved body weight gain of on-farm raised rabbits in Northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria as an agricultural country generates a large tons of crop residues. Crop residues and by-products could result in environmental burden or pollution if not recycled or consumed by livestock. Efforts are being geared towards harnessing crop residues or by-products into animal feed. An on-farm experiment was conducted to investigate if fermentation and/or enzyme supplementation would improve the growth response of locally-reared rabbits. The weaner rabbits of similar age were sourced locally and were randomly distributed to groups. The animals were fed ad libitum with commercial basal diet but each treatment group was daily supplemented with 20 g of wheat bran, fermented wheat bran, fermented and enzyme-treated wheat bran, fermented wheat bran and fermented and enzyme-treated cowpea husk accordingly in a completely randomized design. Specific contrasts were also performed. Fermented cowpea husk improved (P<0.05) body weight (day 21) and body weight gain of experimental animals compared with the control group. Other treatments were statistically similar to the control group. The fermentation process improved body weight of experimental animals fed wheat bran diets. The fermentation process enhanced feed intake of experimental rabbits fed wheat bran over the animals fed unfermented wheat bran. Enzyme supplementation improved feed intake of the animals fed wheat bran-based diets. The small intestine of rabbits fed control diet showed normal mucosal layer with normal glands without inflammation (slender arrow), the villi appeared normal (white arrow). The small intestinal photomicrographs of rabbits fed fermented wheat bran-based diet showed mild necrosis and glandular degeneration (black arrow), and the circular muscle layer was normal (grey arrow). The photomicrographs of rabbits fed a fermented cowpea husk-based diet showed normal central venules. The study concluded that fermented cowpea husk could boost rabbit production.

Keywords: crop residue, nutrition, rabbit, sub-Saharan Africa