Dietary Effect of Varying Levels of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdcourt) Meal on the Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Carcass Characteristics of Rabbits

Abstract

A study on the dietary effect of varying levels of roasted bambara groundnut meal (BGM) on the performance, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of rabbits was conducted in a five-week feeding trial. Forty New Zealand White x California rabbits of both sexes, between 5 and 7 weeks old, with an average initial weight of 700g were allocated to four dietary treatments. BGM was incorporated in the experimental diets at graded levels of 0, 10, 20 and 30% BGM. Each treatment had ten rabbits and five replicate per treatment in a completely randomized design (CRD). There were no significant difference in the daily feed intake (45.44-52.47g), daily weight gain (11.04-13.18g), feed conversion ratio (3.44-4.14), finial live weight (1103.00-1335.00g), carcass weight (548.50-688.50g), dressing percentage (49.14-51.42%) and relative organ weights. Intakes of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) as well as nutrient digestibilities (DMD, OMD, CPD, ADFD and NDFD) were all not significantly influenced by dietary treatments. Study showed that BGM could be included in the diet of rabbits up to 30% level without negatively affecting the performance, nutirent digestibility and carcass characteristics of rabbits.