Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Rabbits Fed Diets with Total or Partial Replacement of Tridax procumbens by Bamboo (Bambusa arundinancea) Leaves

Aim: The evaluation of performance parameters and carcass characteristics of rabbits fed diets with various ratios of bamboo (Bambusa arundinacea) and Tridax procumbens leaves.

Study Design: A completely randomized design was applied.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out at the rabbitry unit, Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Adekunle Ajasin University between May and August 2016 and lasted for a period of 70-days.

Methodology: 36 weaned mixed sex rabbits with an average weight of 1075g were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments of 6 rabbits (3 does and 3 bucks) per treatment. Apart from the concentrate feed (50%), freshly harvested B. arundinancea and T. procumbens leaves were offered to the animals at 2% of their live weight at the ratio of 0:0 (T1), 100:0 (T2), 75:25 (T3), 50:50 (T4), 25:75 (T5) and 0:100 (T6). Proximate analysis of the experimental leaves and concentrate diets were carried out at the end of the trial. Performance parameters (final live weight (g), weight gain (g/d) and feed conversion efficiency (gain/intake)), dry matter intake of experimental leaves and of concentrate diets were also recorded.

Results: The use of leaves in the rabbits’ diets had no significant effect (P>.05) on final live weight, total dry matter intake and Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE). Significant effect (P<.05) was observed in total and average weight gain of rabbits fed with the forage diets. Non-significant effect (P>0.05) was observed in slaughter weight and dressing percentage between control (T1) and T2 (100% bamboo leaves) group of rabbits. Liver, kidney and heart weights were not significantly different (P>0.05) between T2 and T6 groups. Addition of leaves in the diet of rabbits did not have a significant effect on the offal (head, blood and pelt) of rabbits.

Conclusion: It can be concluded from this study that bamboo leaves, when combined with tridax leaves, up to 50% inclusion levels could be utilized as forages for feeding grower rabbits.