Utilisation of dried palmoil mill effluent by young growing rabbits

Abstract

Thirty-six 5-6 weeks old, local mixed crossbred rabbits (526.7 ± 0.2 g) were allocated to four treatments according to their initial weight. They were caged individually and received ad libitum during 7 weeks, one of the 4 diets in which maize offal was replaced by 0, 2, 5 or 10 % dried palm oil mill effluent (Pome), respectively diets 1 to 4. The diets were fed as mash. The mean voluntary feed intake were not significantly different as the level of palm oil mill effluent in the diet increased. Rabbits fed no palm oil mill effluent (control) showed daily weight gains that were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those fed supplementary Pome. The average final body weight recorded were 963, 1128, 1126 and 1308 g for treatments 1 to 4 respectively. As proportions of the live weight, there were no significant differences for warm carcass, head, liver, kidneys, heart, spleen, adrenals, brain and skin. However rabbits fed diets 1 and 4 recorded heavier testes. Mortality recorded were 1/9, 2/9, 0/9 and 1/9 rabbits for treatments 1 to 4 respectively. From the results obtained, up to 10% maize offal can be replaced with palm oil mill effluent in the diets of young growing rabbits certainly without adverse effect on performance and a significant weight gain increase may be observed.