A 91 day feeding trial was conducted using twenty (20) weaned heterogeneous breed rabbits of both sexes with initial weight of 225g–500g to evaluate the replacement value of maize for composite cassava meal (CCM) in diet. Five experimental diets were formulated such that the control diet represented as treatment 1(T1) contained 100% maize as the major energy source in the diet. CCM replaced 25, 50, 75 and 100% of maize in the other treatments (T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively). The rabbits were divided into five treatments of four rabbits each and randomly assigned to the five diets in a completely randomized design with each rabbit serving as replicate. Data collected included weight gain and feed intake, while feed conversion ratio and economics of production were computed. The result revealed that the crude protein (17.78-16.26%) and ether extract (6.79-5.93) content of the diet decreases as level of CCM increased in the diets while crude fibre (12.67-13.88%) content increased with increased level of CCM in the diet. The nutrient compositions of the experimental diets were within acceptable ranges for growing rabbits. The final weight and the total weight gain were not affected by treatment but feed intake significantly increased as the level of replacement increased indicating enhanced acceptability due to CCM in diet. Daily weight gain was also enhanced as the level of replacement of CCM for maize increased. The cost of feed per kg was reduced but the total cost of feeding was increased as the level of replacement increased. The cost of production was minimized and profit was maximized at 100%, when 100% of the maize was replaced by CCM. CCM has no harmful effect on performance of rabbits and the replacement of maize with CCM in diet has reduce the cost of feed per kilogram and maximize profit at 100% level of replacement. Farmers can include composite cassava meal in diet of rabbits to replace 100% of maize as major source of energy in diet.

The study was carried out to determine the feed value of replacing maize with graded levels of sweet potato vine – cassava composite meal (SPV-CCM) to rabbits. Five treatment diets were formulated to contain SPV-CCM inclusion levels of 0% (control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Thirty weaned rabbits of mixed breeds and sexes were used for the experiment. They were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments with one rabbit as a replicate in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. Parameters measured were that of growth, digestibility, carcass and economics of production. The result showed that there was no significant (P>0.05) difference effect on final weight, total weight gain, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio across the dietary treatments. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference on crude protein digestibility, crude fibre and ether extract which were within the required values for rabbit. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference on live weight at slaughter, dressing percentage, heart, liver, kidney, lungs/trachea, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, caecum, large intestine and visceral fat, there was however, a significant (P<0.05) difference in dressed weight, pancreases, spleen and kidney fat. A high cost of feeding, cost per kilogram diet and production was recorded in T and low cost of feeding, cost per kilogram diet and production in T . The result showed that 1 5 maize could be replaced by SPV-CCM up to 100% without any adverse effect on their performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics. However, the optimum performance was observed when 75% SPV-CCM replaced maize in the diet. Replacement of maize with SPV-CCM has relative cost advantage over the control diet and so should be incorporated in the diet of rabbit up to the level considered in this study.

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A nutrient retention and growth performance study were conducted with broiler chicks to evaluate the effect of different duration of fermented baobab seed meal (FBSM). Fermented baobab (Adansonia digitata) seeds were ground and incorporated in the diets at 12% dietary level. Diet 1 (control diet) had no BSM. Diet 2 had unfermented BSM. Diets 3, 4 and 5 had baobab seed meal (BSM) fermented for 48 h, 72 h and 96 h, respectively. Two hundred and forty (240) Arbor Acre chicks at one-week old were weighed and distributed to these dietary treatments. The five (5) treatments were replicated four (4) times in a completely randomized design, with 12 birds per replicate (48 per treatment). The diets did not significantly (p>0.05) influenced Feed intake, final body weight, feed conversion ratio and protein intake across treatments. The body weight gain and protein efficiency ratio of the chicks fed 96 h fermented BSM were not significantly (p>0.05) different with those fed control diet but were significantly (p<0.05) higher than chicks of other treatment groups. Starter broiler chicks fed T4 had significantly (p<0.05) higher nutrient digestibility parameters across treatments, except for EE and CF that were highly digested by chicks fed T3 and T1 respectively. In conclusion the performance of broiler chicks fed 96 h FBSM competed favorably with those fed control diet, whereas, chicks placed on 72 h FBSM recorded better result of nutrient digestibility.

Shea nut meal is a by-product that is cheaper than maize though its replacement value for min rabbit diet is not yet determined. It is however, hoped that the use of shea nut meal in diet would reduce the cost of production and increase profit. A twelve-week trial was therefore conducted to determine the replacement value of shea nut meal (SNM) for dietary maize on growth performance and economics of production of rabbits. Forty rabbits were divided into five, replicated eight times and allotted to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Diet 1 had maize as major energy source and without SNM, while in diet 2, 3, 4 and 5, SNM replaced maize at 25, 50, 75 and 100% respectively. Proximate composition of SNM, feed intake, weight gain, feed cost, cost of production, revenue and profit were determined. The study revealed that SNM has 16.83 % ether extract (EE) and 46.66 % nitrogen free extract (NFE), low in crude fibre (CF) and 8.74% crude protein (CP). Daily feed intake was higher (p<0.05) for rabbits fed control (65.79g/day) than those fed the test diets (50.90- 60.10g/day). Rabbits fed control diet gained similar (p>0.05) weight as those fed diets 2 or 3, but higher (p<0.05) than those fed diets 4 or 5. Feed gain ratio by rabbit were similar (p>0.05) except rabbits fed diet 5 which were significantly less. Cost per kg diet decreased (p<0.05) as level of replacement increased, and the control diet cost (N 88.75) more than any (N 72.77 - N 84.76) of the test diets. Cost of feeding and total cost of production were reduced (p<0.05) by 16.86 – 36.55% due to replacement. The cost to gain a kg of weight was similar (p>0.05) for each of diets 1 to 4 but significantly (p<0.05) less than that of diet 5. The gross margin was lesser when SNM replaced maize in diets at 100%. Replacement of maize with SNM in diets up to 75% has no negative effect of growth performance and economics of production, however, at 100% replacement levels; there was a decreased feed intake, increased cost per kg weight gain, and a reduced gross margin.