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.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page ii
Declaration iii
Certification iv
Dedication v
Acknowledgement vi
Abstract viii
Table of Contents x
List of Tables xii
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Aims and Objectives of the Study 3
1.2 Justification and Significance of the Study 4
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review 5
2.1 Reviews on Rumen Content Related Diets 5
2.2 Origin and Distributions of Rabbits 10
2.3 Breeds of Rabbits in Nigeria 11
2.4 Productive Qualities of Rabbits 11
2.5 The Digestive System of the Rabbit 13
2.6 Digestibility of Nutrients by rabbits 16
xi
2.6.1 Fiber 17
2.6.2 Protein and Amino acid Requirement 18
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Materials and Methods 20
3.1 Location 20
3.2 Management of Experimental Animals 20
3.3 Experimental Procedures 20
3.4 Experimental Diets 23
3.5 Experimental Design 24
3.6 Experimental Analysis 24
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Results 25
4.1 Discussions 29
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations 31
References 32
Appendix 41
Details of the Analyzed Results 41
Cost of Feed Stuffs Used 49
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
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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
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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 byproduct
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.
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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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