GUT MORPHOLOGY AND SENSORY EVALUATION OF GROWING RABBITS FED UREA-MOLASSES TREATED MAIZE COB AS SUBSTITUTE TO WHEAT OFFAL.

Abstract

The gut morphology and sensory evaluation of thirty growing rabbits weighing about 700-800 gram was evaluated in an 84 days trials. Maize cob was treated with urea-molasses and incorporated at graded levels in the diets of growing rabbits. Six rabbits on weight equalization basis were allotted into five dietary treatments of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% urea-molasses treated maize cob substitute for wheat offal. A rabbit each per replicate were sacrificed at the 84th day and their gut morphological characteristics and sensory qualities were evaluated. The result reveals significant (P< 0.05) effect of the dietary treatments on gut morphological parameters measured except jejunum apical width. Growing rabbits fed control diet had better (P<0.05) duodenal villi height, apical width and basal width than same parameters of other dietary treatments. However, jejunum apical width were not significantly (p<0.05) different across all dietary treatments. Meanwhile, all the ileum parameters measured shows significant differences (p<0.05) but with an increasing trend on the ileum villi height. Varying dietary treatment did not significantly (p<0.05) influence meat juiciness and saltiness but an increasing order of overall flavor was observed across the treatments levels. The results reveals an elongation of the duodenum villi height, apical and basal width, jejunum villi height and basal width as well as lamina depth which implies an enhanced digestion and absorption of nutrients. Therefore, urea-molasses treated maize cob can successfully substitute for wheat offal in rabbit’s diets without any impairment on its gut morphology and meat qualities and it is hereby recommended.