Effects of Charcoal Inclusion on the Performance of Growing Rabbits Fed Acacia (<em>Acacia nilotica</em>) Pod Meal Based Diet

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to study the effects of charcoal inclusion in the diet of growing rabbits fed Acacia pod meal (APM) diet. Eighteen (18) growing rabbits of mixed breeds (give the crosses) and sexes with an average initial weight of 5202±0.25g were used for this study in a completely randomized design, involving three dietary treatments with control (T₁), acacia pod meal diet (T₂) and acacia pod meal diet with charcoal (T₃). The experiment lasted 8weeks and thereafter at the end a digestibility trial was conducted. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed in average daily weight gains, feed intake and feed: gain ratios. Treatment 3 had the highest average daily weight gain, feed intake and feed: gain ratio which were significantly different (p<0.05) higher than T₁ and T₂, with T₂ being lowest. Water intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher in T₂, but lower and similar in T₁ and T₃. Nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance were significantly different (p <0.05) across the dietary treatments. Lower nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance was recorded in T₂, while T₃ had significantly (p<0.05) higher than the control T₁. Carcass characteristics were highest in rabbits fed T₃ diet and was significantly different (p>0.05) from T₁. While T₂ had the lowest carcass characteristics. From the results obtained in this study, it was concluded that inclusion of charcoal in diet with acacia pod meal can improve the performance of growing rabbits.