The study was conducted to determine the effect of breed and graded level of sun-dried pineapple peel (PP) on carcass characteristics of growing rabbit bucks. Thirty-two (32) growing rabbits (New Zealand White, Chinchilla and Dutch) aged between 6-7 weeks with an initial average weight of 762.25±52.66 g were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (0 %, 5 %, 10 % and 15 %) in a completely randomized design in 3 x 4 involving three breeds and four dietary treatments with eight rabbits in each of the dietary treatments. The experimental diets and clean drinking water were supplied ad libitum during the experiment which lasted 56 days. At the end of the feeding trial, three rabbits from each of the treatments were used for the carcass characteristics. The rabbits were cut into part such as the head, loin, thoracic cage, skin, fore limb, shank, hind limb, testis and the relative organs (heart, liver, kidney, caecum, lungs, stomach, intestine, abdominal fat) and were weighed. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis software (SAS) version 9.0. All the relative organs and retail cuts evaluated had no significant (P>0.05) difference except for the thoracic cage and shank which had significant (P<0.05) differences among the breeds where CH had significantly (P<0.05) higher values. The results of the graded levels shows no significant (P>0.05) difference in all the parameters except for caecum, intestine and hind limb with the highest at 10 %, 0 % and 5 %, respectively. In conclusion, CH breed is recommended for higher thoracic cage and shank weights and the 10 % inclusion of pineapple peel had higher caecum. However, there were no differences and no deleterious effect across all the treatments on all major carcass traits of growing rabbit bucks.

Background: A study was conducted to investigate effects of broiler litter (BL) on growth performance, nutrient utilization, blood haematology and serum biochemistry of West Africa Dwarf (WAD) goats. Methods: Five complete diets were formulated using BL to replace 40% composition of cottonseed cake at 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 and 100%. Thirty WAD bucks weighing 10.57±0.42 kg were randomly allotted to the five treatments in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Result: The results revealed that daily feed intake (g) and final weight gain (kg) were statistically similar (p greater than 0.05), but daily feed intake cost (N) and feed cost per kg gain (N/kg) decreased (p less than 0.05) across the treatments. Dry matter and organic matter digestibility increased (p less than 0.05), while neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre digestibility decreased (p less than 0.05) across the diets. There was no statistical difference (p greater than 0.05) in N intake, faecal N, urine N and N retained (as % N intake). The serum biochemistry and haematological parameters were statistically similar (p greater than 0.05). Therefore, replacing 100% of CSC with BL maintained body growth; reduced cost of feed; improved nutrient digestibility and maintained normal blood haematology and serum biochemistry.

This study was aimed at investigating the effect of ginger as natural antioxidant (NA) treatment in stabilizing poultry by-product meal. Poultry by-products meal (PBPM) were randomly prepared into four treatment groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) and treated with 0, 750, 1250 and 1750 gram of ginger/100kg respectively and stored for 60 days. Microbial assessment and oxidative properties of PBPM was estimated fortnightly using total aerobiccount (TAPC), total coli-form unit count (TCC), peroxide value (POV) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test. Poultry by-product meal treated with 1750 gram of ginger/100kg presented the least oxidation for both TBAs (0.064 mg/g) and POV (0.4 mEq/kg) after the 60 days storage period. Both TAPC and TCC for all samples observed in this study are all below satisfactory levels with reference to the standard microbial load specification. It is concluded that ginger rhizome used as a natural antioxidant was effective in stabilizing poultry byproduct meal as it presented better microbial and antioxidant status at 1750 g/100kg.