BODY WEIGHT AND INTERNAL ORGANS CHARACTERISTICS OF RABBIT BUCKS FED DIETS CONTAINING DIALIUM GUINEENSE LEAF MEAL

Abstract

The quest for alternative feed resources in livestock production necessitated this experiment, which was carried

out at the Rabbitry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State.

This study evaluated the body weight and organ characteristics of adult New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit bucks fed diets containing Dialium guineense leaf meal. It was carried out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) and lasted for four weeks. The experiment is made up of three diets (treatments); T1, T2 and T3, containing 0.0, 30.0 and 60.0 % Dialium guineense leaf meal, respectively. Body weights of the rabbits were measured weekly, while internal organ weights were measured at the end of the experiment, and histopathological sections of the heart, liver, kidney and testes were evaluated. Body weights and organ weights were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P<0.05 significant level. Weekly body weights and body weight gain were similar (P>0.05) between T1 and T2 which were significantly (P<0.05) higher than weekly body weights and body weight gain of rabbits on T3. Histopathological evaluation recorded distortions in tissue architecture of the liver and kidneys of the rabbit bucks on T3. The results of this experiment show that Dialium guineense leaf meal may be of benefit in diets of adult rabbit bucks to improve their body weights when included at 30 % dietary level