No abstract

In an effort to expand the knowledge base on the use of non conventional feedstuff in rabbit nutrition, the nutritional potential and the cost effectiveness of using rice offal fermented with rumen filtrate for 48 hours was investigated using twenty five (25) growing crossbred rabbit bucks weighed between 625.34 g-631.21 g for 10 weeks. The rabbits were divided into five (5) treatment groups of five (5) rabbits each with each rabbit serving as a replicate in a completely randomized design experiment. The control group was fed with a diet containing maize as the main energy source while the remaining four groups were fed with diets in which the maize was replaced with 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% Rumen filtrate fermented-rice offal meals respectively. Final weight was similar (P>0.05) in rabbits fed maize-based control diet and those fed diet containing 5% to 20% Rumen Filtrate Fermented Rice Offal Meals (FRO). The experimental diets had significant (P<0.05) effect on the daily feed intake, and daily body weight gain with rabbits on 20% having superior weights of 93.88 g and 20.54 g respectively, and a better feed conversion ratio of 4.57 g. The cost of feed per kg of weight gain was lowered progressively from N446/kg for the control diet to N307/kg for the 20% FRO diet, where the lowest feed cost was observed, with a concomitant improvement in overall production profitability. It was concluded that fermenting rice offal with rumen filtrate had high potential as a possible replacement for maize in rabbit diet at inclusion levels of up to 20%. The use of this agricultural by-product can reduce the cost of rabbit production, increase the availability of cheaper animal protein for the populace, generate higher profit margins for the livestock farmer and reduce environmental pollution. It was therefore recommended that feed manufacturers and rabbit farmers can incorporate up to 20% of bovine rumen filtrate-fermented rice offal meal in the diets of rabbits without compromising performance.

Amino acid analysis and 2 growth studies were carried out to determine the effect of period of boiling of full-fat soyabeans on their nutritive value for weanling and growing pigs. Soyabeans were boiled in water for 15, 20, 25 or 30 minutes in Experiment 1 and 25, 30, 35 or 40 minutes in Experiment 2. Forty cross-bred (Large White x Hampshire) pigs were used in each of the experiments. Period of boiling had no effect on amino acid analysis of full-fat soyabeans. Weanling pigs had the best growth performance when soyabeans were boiled for 30 minutes ad this was not significantly different (P>0.05) from the soyabean meal control diet. Period of boiling of full-fat soyabeans did not significantly (P>0.05) affect the performance of the heavier pigs, although improvfement was observed up to 30 minutes of boiling.

A four week feeding trial was conducted using 180 5-week old Arbor acre broiler chickens to determine the effect of feeding various duration of water soaked sweet orange peels on haematology and serum biochemical indices with a view to determining the potential of soaked sweet orange peels as an alternative to maize. Six broiler finisher diets were formulated and fed to the chickens in groups of 30 birds per diet, subdivided into 3 replicates of 10 chickens each in a completely randomized design. Diet 1 (control) was maize-based, diets 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, sweet orange peels replaced maize at various duration of water soaked 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours respectively, and incorporated at 30% inclusion. White blood cell, red blood cell and mean corpuscular volume was depressed (p<0.05) by various duration of water soaked sweet orange peels, packed cell volume did not indicate anaemic tendency among treatment and white blood cell count did not indicate infection due to treatments. Serum protein was adequate and liver and kidney function were not compromised. Health status and nutrient absorption of birds were not compromised by replacing maize with various duration of water soaked sweet orange peels in broiler chickens.