Department of Animal Science, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba-Delta State, Nigeria; Department of Agricultural Education, Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba-Delta State, Nigeria
Mmereole, F.U.C., Department of Animal Science, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba-Delta State, Nigeria; Egoh, J.O., Department of Animal Science, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba-Delta State, Nigeria; Obinne, J.I., Department of Agricultural Education, Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba-Delta State, Nigeria
Growth performance and cost benefit implications of feeding weaner rabbits on concentrate diets supplemented with T. procumbens ad lib. was investigated in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) experiment comprising four treatment groups. Thirty-six weaner rabbits were involved in the experiment. Nine rabbits randomly assigned to each of the four treatment groups consisting of the following: Diet 1 = 12% CP with Tridax, Diet 2 = 14% CP with Tridax, Diet 3 = 16% CP with Tridax and Diet 4 = 16% CP without Tridax as the control. The treatments were replicated thrice. The feeding trial lasted for fourty-two days during which data on body weight and weight gains, feed intake and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) were collected. The data collected were subjected to cost/benefit evaluation and statistical analysis using S.A.S. (2002) software package. Dietary treatments produced significant (p<0.05) effects on feed consumption, body weights and weight gains, FCR, production costs and profit margins. Rabbits fed concentrate diets containing 14% CP+ Tridax supplement had the best feed conversion ratio, least production cost/per kg of body weight gain and highest profit margin than the other treatments. Based on the results, therefore, it is advisable to produce rabbits on diets formulated on 14% CP supplemented with Tridax ad lib if the producer's objective is to maximize profit. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2011.