PERFORMANCE OF WEANER RABBITS FED SELECTED FORAGES AS SUPPLEMENT

Abstract

Feeding trial was conducted with 36 weaner rabbits of mixed sexes and breeds to evaluate the performance of rabbits fed selected forages with concentrate. The rabbits were randomely allocated in to four treatment groups in a complete randomized design. Each treatment was replicated three times with three rabbits per replicate. Four experiment diets were formulated. Diets one was supplemented Tridax procumbens with concentrate which served as control (TI), Amaranthus with concentrate, Fiscus carpensis leaves with concentrate and water melon peel with concentrate in diet 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The test materials were supplied at 100g per replicate. The trial lasted for 56 days. Data were generated on growth performance ( initial weight, final weight, total weight gain, daily weight gain, weekly weight gain, daily feed intake ad feed conversion ratio) and nutrient digestibility parameters were measured . Results obtained revealed that the value of there were no significant ((P>0.05) difference observed among the growth parameters and nutrient digestibility. It is concluded that T1 could be used for growing rabbit diets for optimum performance Therefore T1 can be recommended as best selected forages with concentrate