Sixteen Crossbred Weaner rabbits aged eight weeks made up of 8 males and 8 females with initial average weight of 650 ± 21.76 g were subjected to four dietary treatments namely Panicum maximum plus Poultry growers mash (T 1), Centrosema pubescens plus Poultry growers mash (T 2) Sida acuta plus Poultry growers mash (T 3) and Poultry growers mash alone (T 4) which served as Control. The experiment, which las ed for nine weeks, was aimed at comparing the performance of the rabbits fed different forages. The results indicated that there was no significant (P > 0 05) difference in weight gain among the treatment groups. However the group fed Centrosema pubescens recorded the highest numerical weight gain compared with the other groups. Total feed intake and feed conversion ratio of the rabbits fed Panicum maximum, Centrosema pubescens and Sida acuta were similar but significant y (P > 0 01) higher than for rabbits fed poultry growers mash alone. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in the total feed intake, total dry matter intake, feed conversion ratio and cost of feed per kg live weight gain among rabbits fed different forages. In conclusion, the results of the experiment indicated that all the orages could be used for the feeding of rabbits and that a better performance will be obtained i forages are supplemented with poultry growers mash.
Twenty four 10-week old crosses of (New Zealand White X Chinchila) rabbits was used to determine relative palatability differences in leaves of Calopogonium mucunoides (Calopo), Elaeis guineensi (Oil palm), Musa sapientum (Banana) and Andropogon gayanus (Gamba). Centrosema pubescens (Centro) was included as control. Significant dif erences (P < 0.01) in relative palatability index (RPI) were detected among the dif erent forages offered. Based on their RPI rabbits preferred in descending order of magnitude Centrosema pubescens, Calopogonium mucunoides and Elaeis guineensi (RPI > 95 %) to Musa sapientum (RPI > 70 %) and Andropogon gayanus (RPI > 40 %). The preference of Oil palm leaves to Banana leaves according to the RPI ranking in this study is an interesting observation from the study.
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