GROWTH AND HAEMATOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF GROWING RABBITS TO DIETS CONTAINING GRADED LEVELS OF SUN DRIED

ABSTRACT

The growth and haematological response of growing rabbits to diets containing graded levels of sun dried bovine rumen content (SBRC) were studied.   Five diets containing 0 (control), 10, 20, 30 and 40 % sun dried bovine rumen content coded as T1,T2,T3,T4 and T5, respectively, were compared.   Twenty   growing   rabbits   were   randomly   assigned   to   the treatments; each treatment had four experimental units. The rabbits were fed and watered ad libitum. The parameters measured were feed consumption, water consumption, body weight gain, mortality, feed conversion ratio, feed cost per kg gain, feed cost per kg feed, live weight, dressing percentage, initial   body   weight,   weight   of   internal   organs   and   haematological parameters.   Data collection was done for a period of nine weeks, but the experiment lasted for ten weeks.  Statistical analysis was carried out on the data for daily feed consumption, daily water consumption, and daily body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, feed cost per kg gain, and feed cost per kg feed, dressing percentage, weight of internal organs and haematological parameters. There was no significant difference (p> 0.05) amongst the treatment means.  Numerically, however, the rabbits on T5 recorded the best water  and  feed  consumption,  body  weight  gain,  feed  cost  per  kg  feed, weights of internal organs and White Blood Cell count (WBC), while those on T4 had the best feed cost per kg gain and feed conversion ratio. The best Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and Red Blood Cell count (RBC) were obtained with  the  rabbits  fed T3  while  T1 had  the  best  dressing percentage. No mortality was recorded throughout the study. The study indicated that SBRC could be fed to rabbits at 30% level of inclusion since it recorded the best feed conversion ratio and feed cost per kg gain, thus providing a cheaper source of feeding and also helps in reducing environmental pollution.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

The need to improve rabbit production in Nigeria for increased supply of animal protein is no longer in doubt due to the high cost of Chicken, Pork and beef. Bamgbose, et al (2004) also supports the necessity of exploring other less common but potential sources of animal protein such as rabbits. Recently, there has been increased awareness in rabbit production.   The advantages projected include the high reproductive rate, rapid maturity, high genetic potential, efficient feed utilization, limited competition with humans for food and high quality nutritious meat (Cheeke, et al, 1986). Also rabbits have been introduced into West Africa as farm animals of economic value, low in fat, succulent, nicely flavoured and providing a palatable change for chicken and other meats, (Owen, 1976; Aduku and Olukosi, 1990). It has also been reported by Aduku and Olukosi (1990) that rabbit meat plays an important role in the prevention of vascular disease due to its extremely low cholesterol and sodium levels. This makes rabbit meat a good source of animal protein for coronary heart patients and people on low sodium diet. Rabbit meat also has no religions taboos regulating its consumption.

Rabbits are able to thrive on non-conventional feed stuffs (Omole, 1982) and forages (Aduku and Olukosi 1990).  Rabbits are being maintained solely on all forage diets with encouraging weight gains (Selepov, 1964; Perez and San Sebastrain, 1970). However, these investigators used temperate forages, which are known to have on the average higher crude protein and lower fibre contents, (Oyenuga 1968, Miltroy, 1972) and have higher nutritive value than tropical forages. Their utilization of large forage diet had been shown to

be limited since fibre digestion is post-gastric in the caecum (Davidson and Spreadury, 1975). Although the rabbit requirement for crude fibre is very high-about 14-25% (Adegbola et al; 1985) when compared with other monogastiric animals, it has been reported that the feeding of concentrate increases feed consumption and crude fibre digestion (Butcher, et al; 1981).

Feed accounts for the dominant input in animal production ranging from 60- 70% of the total cost of production (Nworgu, et al., 1999). Similarly, feed ingredient account for over 90% of compound feed industry. Therefore, the relationship between feed ingredient and animal product output is both direct and  obvious. It has been observed that conventional  feedstuffs  are very expensive and scarce, the high  cost  and scarcity derived  from crippling realities that are characteristics of the economics of developing countries. (Esonu et al, 2001; 2002; 2004). Conventional ingredients are expensive since they suffer from stiff competition with channels in the food chain which  command  higher  priority  and  can  pay  higher  prices  than  the compound feed industry.

Nigerian’s are amongst the lowest consumers of animal protein in Africa (Egbunike, 1999) in spite of her numerous natural and human resources. The average per capita protein daily intake is below the minimum stipulated by Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) (1988) and World Health Organization  (WHO)  (2005).  The  estimated  protein  intake  in  North America, Western and Eastern Europe has been put at 66g, 39g and 35g per head per day respectively, while in Africa and indeed Nigeria the figure stands  at  11g  per  head  per  day  (Lamorde,  1991).  Regrettably,  animal products contribute 15 to 20% of total protein intake of Nigerians (Federal

Republic of Nigeria, 1997). Animal protein contains the essential amino acids which are more balanced and readily available to meet human nutritional needs than plant protein (Oyenuga, 1971). There is therefore an urgent need for alternative locally available and cheap sources of feed ingredients particularly those that do not attract competition in consumption between humans and livestock or have no direct relevance in human food channel. One possible source of cheap material is sun dried bovine rumen content (SBRC).  Sun dried bovine rumen content (SBRC) is an animal by- product which is found mostly in abattoirs when the rumen of the animal is cut open after slaughter.

This particular research work is aimed at exploring the potentials of sun dried bovine rumen content (SBRC) in the diets and performance of growing rabbits. It is expected that from this research, useful suggestions would be made that could be favourable to both small and large scale farmers.

1.1      Aims and Objectives of the Study

(i)      To test if sun dried bovine rumen content (SBRC) can be used to partly replace any of the conventional protein feed stuffs.

(ii)     To determine the best dietary level of sun dried bovine rumen content

(SBRC) that can be fed to rabbits.

(iii)    To  reduce  the  cost  of  rabbit  production  by  reducing  the  cost  of feeding.

(iv)    To examine if sun dried bovine rumen content (SBRC) has any toxic or anti nutritional effect on growing rabbits.

1.2     Justification and Significance of the Study

The high cost of protein feed stuff such as fishmeal, groundnut cake and soybean meal for animals and also the high competition that exists between man and animals for these feedstuffs create the need for maximizing the economic  efficiency  of  conventional  feed  utilization.  This  would  be achieved by reducing the quantity of these expensive feedstuffs and making them  up  with  non-conventional  feed  stuff  like  sun  dried  bovine  rumen content (SBRC). In this way, production cost is greatly reduced. In addition, the way in which this bovine rumen content is being trampled, wasted and left to cause environmental pollution calls for more research on it. Finally, higher levels of SBRC up to 40% has not been reached according to the literature available on the use of SBRC in the diets of livestock generally and rabbits in particular.

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