COST ANALYSIS AND PERFORMANCE OF GROWER RABBITS FED DIETS REPLACING SOYBEAN MEAL WITH GRADED LEVELS OF SOYABEAN CURD RESIDUE

Magaji,  S. T; Latu,  M. Y; Yibis,  G.G,; Ajiji,  I; Gomwalk,  P

Authors

Magaji, S. T
Latu, M. Y
Yibis, G.G,
Ajiji, I
Gomwalk, P

Keywords:

cost analysis, grower rabbits, soya bean curd residue, soya bean meal,

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Poultry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farms, Plateau State College of Agriculture to determine the effect of soya bean curd residue (SBCR) on the performance of grower rabbits as replacement for soybean meal; focusing on determining optimum inclusion level of soya bean curd residue, feed consumption, growth rate, carcass characteristics and cost implication of using soya bean curd residue in place of SBM in rabbits’ diets. The soya bean curd residue was used to replace soybean meal at 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% inclusion levels (designate as T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅, respectively) of the basal diet (T₁ or control), forty five weaned rabbits at 11 weeks of age were grouped into 5 treatments in completely randomized design. They were fed with their respective treatment diets and water ad libitum for the period of 6 weeks. The results showed that rabbits fed diets 1 and 2 had similar total feed intake (TFI); those on T_1, T₂, T₃ and T₅had similar daily feed intake (DFI) while rabbits on T₄ had lowest TFI and DFI. Total live weight (TLW), daily weight gain (DWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed efficiency (FE) were not significantly affected by treatment diets. Rabbits fed T₅ had highest carcass weight followed by those on T₂ and T₄; those on T₁ and T₂were similar while those on T₃ had least. Liver weight was similar between rabbits on T₁ and T₄ and least on those of T₅. Those on T₁ T₄ and T₅ had similar kidneys weight while rabbits on T₃ had the least. All the rabbits fed soya bean curd residue-based diets had similar lungs weight with their counterparts on control diet and those on T₃ had lowest lungs weight. It was concluded that soya bean curd residue can replace soybean meal up to 20% level of inclusion without adverse effect on the performance and carcass characteristics of rabbits Also, there was cost effectiveness in the use of soyabean cake residue in the diets of rabbits.