CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF WEANER RABBIT FED DIFFERENT BROWSE PLANT BASED DIETS

ABSTRACTS A feeding trial was carried out with twentyfive (25) weaner rabbits to investigate the nutritive potential of some browse plant leaves (Blighia sapida, Ficus thoningii, Gmelina arboreal, Gliricidia sepium). Weaner rabbits were used and randomly assigned to five (5) treatments (T1-T5). The rabbits in Treatment 1 were fed diets with inclusion of 20% Blighia sapida, rabbits in Treatment 2 were fed diets with inclusion of 20% Fiscus thoningii, rabbits in Treatment 3 were fed diets with inclusion of 20% Gmelina arborea, rabbits in Treatment 4 were fed diets with inclusion of 20% Gliricidia sepium, while rabbits in Treatment 5 were fed diets with no inclusion of browse plant (control). The crude fibre values recorded for Blighia sapida (23.72%),Fiscus thoningii (20.27%),Gmelina arboreal (22.13%) were higher than that of Gliricidia sepium (16.67). Ether extract of the diets with no inclusion of browse plants is comparable to that of the Blighia sapida and Fiscus thoningii. The rabbits used for the experiment weighed between 800g to 1000g. The rabbits were fed for twelve (12) weeks experimental duration and after the duration their carcass, organs and cost analysis were evaluated. The head weight of the rabbits fed the first treatment is similar to that of treatment 4 and 5 while the rib weight of rabbits fed the first treatment is similar to that of treatment 3 and 4. The kidney, liver and abdominal fat of rabbit fed the first treatment are significantly higher than that of other groups. The cost per kg of each treatment feed was lower in browse plant diets than the control diets. The study had shown that any of the test ingredients could be consider as an alternative feed source to reduce the cost of production.