Response of albino rats fed graded levels of raw sickle pod ( Senna obtusifolia) seed meal

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding raw Senna obtusifolia seed meal (RSOSM) on the productive performance, carcass characteristics and organ weights of albino rats. Five experimental diets were compounded to contain RSOSM at graded levels of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%designated asT1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. Sixty albino rats with an average body weight of 70.52 to 81.05 g were allotted to the five dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design with three replicates of four rats each. The chemical composition and the anti-nutritional factors were determined. Parameters measured were feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, live weight, dressed weight, dressing percentage and organ weights (heart, liver, kidney and lungs).Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance. The productive performance, carcass characteristics and organ weights were observed to be significantly (P<0.05) depressed as the level of RSOSM increased in the experimental diets. Albino rats fed 15 and 20% RSOSM significantly (P<0.05) recorded the lowest feed intake, weight gain and dressing percentage of 241.60 g, 60.10 g and 78.84%, 74.46 and 212.82 g, 51.78 g and 75.38%, respectively. The weight of organs revealed a declining trend as the level of RSOSM increased except for the liver and intestinewhich indicated progressive increase in sizes as the level of RSOSMincreased in the diets. Albino rats fed 15 and 20% RSOSMrecorded the highest liver weight of 4.21 and 4.29 g. It can be concluded that inclusion of RSOSM beyond 5% in the diets of albino rats had adverse effects on their productive performance, carcass characteristics and organ weights.