Title: EVALUATION OF THREE PERENNIAL FORAGES SUPPLEMENTED WITH CASSAVA PEEL MEAL– PALM KERNEL CAKE BASED CONCENTRATE FOR GROWING RABBITS (ORYCTOLAGUS CUNNICULUS)
Abstract: With the objective of using readily available feed resources for small-holder farming, thirty mixed breed (New Zealand × Chinchilla × Dutch) rabbits were evaluated for performance on three perennial forages supplemented with Cassava Peel Meal-Palm Kernel Cake (CPM-PKC) based concentrate.The aim of the study was to investigate the growth, carcass characteristics and meat yield in rabbits fed CPM-PKC based concentrate with forage.The animals were divided into five experimental groups based on five dietary treatments: corn-GNC control (T1), CPM-PKC control (T2), Gliricidia sepium leaves + CPM-PKC (T3), Leucaena leucocephala leaves + CPM-PKC (T4) and Moringa oleifera leaves + CPM-PKC (T5).Rabbits on sole concentrate feeding (T1 and T2) were fed at 6% of their body weight.Animals in treatments 3, 4 and 5 received concentrate (3%) in the morning and forage (ad libitum).Weight gain was the highest in T1 being significantly (P < 0.05) different from T2, T3 and T4 but similar (P > 0.05) to T5. Feed intake was highest in the corn-GNC control.Overall carcass yield was not significant (P > 0.05) affected by dietary treatment.