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International Journal of Molecular Veterinary Research
2012, Vol.2, No.3, 8
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12
ficant difference (
P
<0.05) in the nitrogen digestibility
of the rabbits when groundnut cake was replaced with
palm kernel cake.
In conclusion, considering the effects of the diets on
growth, economics and nitrogen digestibility, it is
obvious that 60% GNC replaced with MOLM gave
the best result and is recommended as the best
replacement level of MOLM for GNC. The 60% GNC
replaced with MOLM had the best feed to gain ratio of
4.39 and high digestibility of 71.30%.
3 Materials and Methods
Moringa oleifera
leaves were collected fresh from a
plantation and were air-cured until they were crispy to
touch. Proximate analysis of the leaves was done
according to the methods of A.O.A.C. (1990). On
analysis the leaves contained 24% CP, 11.1% CF,
ether extract and ash content were 2.1% and 8.7%
respectively. Other feedstuffs were purchased from a
commercial feed mill. Six (6) experimental diets were
formulated (Table 4). Diet 1 was designated to serve
as the control with no
Moringa oleifera
leaf meal
(MOLM) inclusion. All other diets contain MOLM
replacing groundnut cake (GNC) at 20%, 40%, 60%,
80% and 100% respectively, with groundnut cake
being 10% of the control diet. Diets formulated were
iso-nitrogeneous. The rabbits were arranged into six
(6) groups. The groups were assigned to the
experimental diets using a Completely Randomized
Block Design (CRBD). Each treatment was replicated
three (3) times with four (4) rabbits per replicate. The
study lasted for a period of eight (8) weeks.
The rabbits were housed in metal hutches with wire
mesh at the base for easy passage of faeces and urine
and raised above ground. The hutches were
disinfected before the rabbits were introduced into the
hutches. Their initial weight, final weight, feed intake
Table 4 Composition of experimental diets (g/kg)
Ingredients
Levels of
Moringa oleifera
leaf meal (%)
0
20
40
60
80
100
Groundnut cake
100
80
60
40
20
0
Moringa leaf meal
0
20
40
60
80
100
Maize
500
500
500
500
500
500
Fishmeal (72%)
5
5
5
5
5
5
Corn bran
190
175
145
160
150
120
Brewer dried grains
40
60
85
120
150
180
Wheat offals
100
100
100
50
30
30
Bone meal
25
25
25
25
25
25
Limestone
30
30
30
30
30
30
Salt
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.5
Vitamin mineral premix a
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
Methionine
1
1
1
1
1
1
Lysine
1
1
1
1
1
1
Coccidiostat b
2
2
2
2
2
2
Total
1 000
1 000
1 000
1 000
1 000
1 000
Analyzed values of the experimental diets
Dry matter (%)
90.88
89.89
90.18
90.38
91.02
90.20
CP (%)
14.41
14.34
14.36
14.36
14.38
14.29
Crude fibre (%)
10.25
8.50
8.50
9.50
9.80
8.46
Energy (Kcal/kg) (Calculated)
2 732.89
2 777.03
2 805.64
2 914.09
2 974.84
3 004.37
Note: a: Vitamin-mineral (Premix) supplied the following/kg diet: vitamin A, 8 000 IU; vitamin D, 3 000 IU; vitamin E, 8 IU;
vitamin K, 2 mg; vitamin B1, 1 mg; vitamin B2, 2.5 mg; vitamin B12, 15 mg; niacin, 10 mg; panthothenic, 5 mg; antioxidant, 6 mg;
folic acid, 0.5 mg; choline, 150 mg; iron, 20 mg; manganese, 80 mg; copper, 8 mg; zinc, 50 mg; cobalt, 0.225 mg; iodine, 2 mg;
selenium, 0.1 mg; b: Coccidiostat used was Amprolium P with active ingredient amprolium 9.6%