Digestible energy of unpeeled cassava root meal and its effect on growth performance and carcass traits in rabbits

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the use of cassava root meal (891 g dry matter [DM]/kg, 639 g starch/kg, 74.1 g neutral detergent fibre [NDF]/kg, and 26.6 g crude protein [CP]/kg) in diets for growing rabbits. In the first experiment, a basal diet (419 g NDF/kg and 181 g CP/kg) and a test diet, in which cassava replaced 25% of the DM of the reference diet, were used. Twenty 50-d-old New Zealand White rabbits weighing 1474±10 g were randomly assigned to the 2 treatments, and digestibility of DM and gross energy (GE) were determined. The inclusion of cassava root meal in the diet increased DM digestibility (67.0±0.80 vs. 58.0±1.12%, P<0.01) and digestible energy (DE) content (11.86±0.16 vs. 10.45±0.22 MJ/kg, P<0.01). Digestible DM and DE contents of the unpeeled cassava root meal, obtained by the substitution method, were 943.3±15.8 g/kg and 15.28±0.32 MJ/kg. In the second experiment, 5 experimental diets were formulated to contain 150 g CP/kg, 184 g acid detergent fibre/kg and 10.9 MJ DE/kg, and increasing levels (0, 7, 14, 21 and 28%) of unpeeled cassava root meal, mainly in substitution of corn. A growth trial was carried out using 90 rabbits from the Botucatu genetic group from weaning (35 d, weighing 951±13 g) up to 71 d of age. The rabbits were housed in pairs, and randomly assigned to the 5 treatments (9 replicates/ treatment). No effect of the substitution of corn with cassava root meal was detected on growth performance (growth rate, feed intake and feed conversion ratio, on av. 44.6±0.50 g/d, 132±1.4 g/d and 2.97±0.028 g/g, respectively). The level of inclusion of cassava root meal had a quadratic effect (P=0.005) on the dressing out percentage, showing a minimal value (51.2%) for inclusion of 139 g/kg. No other effect was observed on slaughter and reference carcass weights (2383±19 and 1238±11 g, respectively). Unpeeled cassava root meal may be used to completely replace corn in the diet, supporting high performance in growing rabbits, but its effects on carcass traits should be investigated further.

Replacement value of rumen liquor fermented cassava peels for maize in growing rabbit diet

“…Thus by implication, irrespective of the % cost reduction (table VI), increased replacement of RLFCP for maize beyond 50 % replacement level would lead to reduction in the total weight gain and feed conversion ratio of the rabbits. Generally, the ADWG range of 12.38-17.75 g/rabbit per day observed in this study falls within 11.77-19.82 g/rabbit per day reported for weaner rabbits in a related study (Osakwe and Nwose, 2008), in most cases surpassed 6.55-12.70 g/rabbit per day reported by Ibrahim et al (2014) but lower than 44.1-45.1 g/rabbit per day reported by Mora et al (2014). In addition, the progressive increase in feed intake of rabbits fed on the test diets may be attributed to increase in fibre contents (table I) observed to have associated with increased replacement level of maize with RLFCP across the test diets.…”

Les lapins nourris avec de l’amidon de manioc fermentée je résidus: Effet sur le rendement et l’état de santé

“…This is in consonance with the previous report of Oloruntola et al (2016). Of interest is that ADWG observed in this study, 13.65 to 22.48g/day, is in most cases higher than 12.38 to 17.75 g/rabbit/day reported by Oloruntola et al, (2016) and Ayodele et al, (2016) and 6.55 to 12.70g/rabbit/day reported by Ibrahim et al, (2014) but lower than 44.1to 45.1 g/rabbit/day reported by Mora et al (2014).…”