REPLACING MAIZE WITH CASSAVA ROOT MEAL OR ITS MIXTURE WITH BREWERS YEAST SLURRY IN RABBIT DIETS

Abstract

Three diets were evaluated for their effect on performance, carcass yield and organ measurements of finisher rabbits. The control was maize-based (MC) while, in the other two diets, cassava root meal (CR) or its mixture with brewers yeast slurry (CYS) replaced the maize. Five approximately 9-week old crossbred (Chinchilla X California X New Zealand White) rabbits which averaged 930g livewight, were allocated to each diet and fed individually for 70days. The rabbits were then slaughtered and their dressed carcasses and organs weighed. At 70days of feeding, the average livewighed of rabbits fed MC, CR and CYS were 2120g, 2026g and 2098g respectively. Average daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio were 66.80g, 64.92g and 60.70g, 15.65g and 16.29g and 3.92g and 4.15 and 3.64 for the respective diets. Warm dressing % and organ weight as percent of empty carcass weight did not differ significantly (P >0.05) among the diet. Kidney fat weight was lower (P <0.05) for CYS than for MC and CR. Replacement of maize with CR in the diet lowered (P < 0.05) rabbit performance while that with CYS allowed for more efficient utilization of the diet, and for leaner carcasses of rabbits