Authors:
Tarnongo,N.J., Kaankuka, F.G.,Shaahu, D.T and Anongo,T.T., Nigeria
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Abstract:
An 84-day feeding trial was conducted with weaner rabbits to investigate the feeding value of
cowpea haulms (Vigna unguiculata) on growth performance and nutrients digestibility. Thirtysix (36) weaner rabbits with initial live weight range of 427.33 – 474.50g were randomly
allocated to six (6) dietary treatments and each treatments replicated six (6) times in a complete
randomized design. Each treatment was made up of three (3) males and three (3) females with
each as a replicate. The rabbits were fed diets with cowpea haulms replacing rice offal at 0%,
20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% levels according to treatments T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6
respectively and T1 with 0% cowpea haulms as the control diet. The result of proximate
composition and energy values of experimental diets revealed a crude protein value of 16.62%
for T2 less than a similar value of 17.50% for T3, T4, T6 and T1 and T5 with a value of 18.38%.
Crude fibre values ranged 12.43 to 21.00% increased across T1 –T6 as cowpea haulms (CH)
level increased in the diet. Ether extract however decreased from T1 –T6 with increase in the
level of CH with moisture following no particular trend. Ash was seen to decrease with increase
in the diet CH, dry matter values 89.91% (T1) to 91.77% (T5) and NFE values 56.28 (T1) to
62.82 (T4) were in no particular trend. Also, ME values 3139.59 (T4) to 2731.32% (T1) did not
follow a definite trend among the experimental treatments. The final weight (FW) was shown to
decrease across the treatments with T1 having the highest final weight. T4 and T6 had the similar
final weights. The nutrient digestibility across the six treatments revealed significant (P<0.05)
differences in the digestibility of Crude protein (CP) and Ether extract (EE), the digestibility of
crude protein was observed to be significantly (P<0.05) lower in the rabbits on diets T4 and T5
while T1 being control diet was significantly (P<0.05) lower in ether extract digestibility. The
digestibility of dry matter (DM), nitrogen free extra (NFE) and crude fibre (CF) were not
significantly (P>0.05) different. With these results from this study, it was concluded that, the
bulky wastage of cowpea haulms after the seed harvest could be reduced by replacing rice offal
with cowpea haulms in rabbit diets as a major crude fibre source. Cowpea haulms had no
negative effects on the general growth performance of rabbits. Therefore, it is safe for farmers
and feed manufacturers to include cowpea haulms to replace 100% of rice offal as a major source
of crude fibre in rabbit diets. |
