Abstract. Rabbit production is highly attracting attention in the world today due to its reputation in supplying one of the safest meat and other useful animal products. Hence, a 49-day study was carried out to determine the feed intake, body weight gain, serum biochemistry and haematological parameters of 80 growing rabbits fed Gmelina arborea leaf meal (GALM) in their diets. Four diets were formulated: T1, T2, T3 and T4 containing GALM at 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%, respectively. The rabbits were randomly divided into four experimental groups of twenty animals each, with five rabbits constituting a replicate. Blood samples were drawn from each animal on the last day of the trial and evaluated for serum biochemistry and haematological parameters. Results on proximate composition revealed that the nutrient requirements were met. Feed intake and body weight gain (p<0.05) were improved in T4 in comparison with other groups. Feed conversion ratio was however best for T3 and T4 (p<0.05). The haematological parameters differed significantly (p<0.05) and were improved at 30% GALM inclusion across the groups. Results showed that all the serum biochemical parameters studied except globulin differed significantly (p<0.05) among the treatment groups. Cholesterol was reduced at 30% GALM inclusion (p<0.05). All the blood parameters fell within the physiological range for clinically healthy rabbits; an indication that GALM had a beneficial effect on rabbits. Diet T4 had the best performance data among the treatment diets and is therefore recommended for rabbit enhanced production.

The effect of feeding pro-vitamin A cassava peel meal (PCPM) based diets to growing rabbits (n=48) for 61 days on their haematology and serum biochemical parameters was investigated. T1, T2, T3, and T4 diets were formulated with inclusion levels of 0, 15, 30, and 45%, respectively. In a completely randomized design, the rabbits were randomly allocated to four experimental groups of twelve animals each, with four rabbits constituting a replicate. On the last day of the study, blood samples were taken from each animal and analyzed for haematological and serum biochemical indices. The results of the proximate composition of experimental diets revealed that T2, T3, and T4 had high (p<0.05) ash values. T1 diet had higher (p<0.05) metabolizable energy (ME) in comparison with T3, and T4 diets. Red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC) were improved (p<0.05) significantly in 15, 30, and 45% PCPM inclusions. T3 and T4 had better (p<0.05) packed cell volume (PCV) values, haemoglobin (Hb), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), and mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) than T1 and T2. The treatment groups (T2, T3 and T4) had significantly higher (p<0.05) total protein, globulin, creatinine, total bilirubin, and aspartate amino transferase (AST). Cholesterol and urea levels were lowered significantly (p<0.05) in T3 and T4. All of the blood parameters were within the normal physiological range for clinically healthy rabbits, indicating that PCPM was beneficial to the rabbits' blood formation and health. T4 group had the best results and was recommended for enhanced rabbit production.