EFFECTS OF TIGER NUT OFFAL MEAL-BASED DIETS SUPPLEMENTED WITH KINGZYME® ENZYME ON HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES OF GROWER RABBITS

Résumé

A six week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effect of tiger nut offal meal based diet supplemented with Kingzyme enzyme on haematological indices of grower rabbits. A total of 48 weaned composite rabbits of similar live weight were randomly allotted to the experimental diets in a 2x3 factorial arrangement fitted into Complete Randomized Design (CRD) which was replicated 4 times having 2 rabbits per replicate. Six experimental diets were formulated to be isocaloric (2500kcal/kg) and isonitrogenous (15% crude protein) with tiger nut offal meal levels of 0, 50 and 100% and two levels of Kingzyme 0ppm and 200ppm. The rabbits were reared in an open-sided hutches, fed with weighed amount of experimental diets and watered at all time. Other standard routine management practices were strictly observed throughout the experimental period. The result showed significant (P<0.05) increase in the red blood cell for rabbits fed on 50% TNO (6.70x109) than 0%TNO (4.59 x109). Kingzyme supplementation significantly increased (P<0.05) white blood
cell. Thus, indicated that rabbits fed on 200ppm enzyme supplementation had higher white blood cell (10.63x1012) than 0ppm enzymes (6.81 x1012). The interactive effects of TNO and enzyme (T4) showed significant (P<0.05) increased in the level of red blood cell (7.75 x109) and white blood cell (13.90 x1012) respectively. It is therefore, concluded from this experiment that rabbits could tolerate 50% tiger nut offal meal based diet supplemented with 200ppm Kingzyme enzyme in their diets. This suggest an increased immunity against disease by the grower rabbits. Keywords: Haematology, Kingzyme®
, Rabbits, Tigernut offal meal, Immunity.