Performance of weaner rabbits fed graded levels of sun-dried sweet potato tuber meal (Ipomea batatas) diets

Abstract

Forty weaned rabbits (8 weeks old) of mixed sexes and breed, with an average initial live-weight of 680g, were used in a nine-week feeding trial to evaluate their performance on diets in which sun-dried sweet potatoe tuber meal (Ipomoea batatas) was included at the rate of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% levels in a CP Isonitrogenous diets. Performance parameters showed that feed intake, weight gain and feed to gain ratio were not significantly different between treatments. Values obtained were poorer for the sweet potato based diets compared to the control. No mortality was recorded during the experiment. Carcass and oragn weights expressed as percentage of live-weight showed no significant differences (P>0.05) across the treatments. It was concluded that sweet potato meal can be included   up to 40% level in diets of young rabbits.