THERMOREGULATORY PARAMETERS OF ADULT RABBIT BUCKS FED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH BREWERS DRIED GRAIN (BDG)

Abstract

A study was conducted using twenty (20) adult rabbit bucks to evaluate the effect of feeding brewers dried grain (BDG) on thermoregulatory parameters. The rabbits were randomly allotted into the experimental treatments of four treatment groups with five (5) rabbits per treatment in a completely randomized design (CRD). In the first study, treatments were diets with 0, 20, 30 and 40% level of inclusion of brewers dried grain (BDG), respectively. Feed and water were served ad libitum. Thermoregulatory parameters such as respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), rectal temperature (RT), ear temperature (ET) and scrotal temperature were measured weekly. Data generated were subjected to analysis of variance of SAS. There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in pulse rate, rectal, ear, skin and scrotal temperatures across treatments. However, respiratory rates was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in rabbits fed diets supplemented with 30 and 40% BDG than in those fed 0 and 20% BDG diets. It was concluded that supplementing BDG in the diets of had little or no effect on thermoregulatory parameters measured although it didn’t seem to have any deleterious effect