Growth Performances and Cost Analysis of Weaner Rabbits Fed Varying Dietary Levels of Crude Protein Supplemented with Tridax procumbens

Abstract

Growth performance and cost benefit implications of feeding weaner rabbits on concentrate diets supplemented with T. procumbens ad lib. was investigated in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) experiment comprising four treatment groups. Thirty-six weaner rabbits were involved in the experiment. Nine rabbits randomly assigned to each of the four treatment groups consisting of the following: Diet 1 = 12% CP with Tridax, Diet 2 = 14% CP with Tridax, Diet 3 = 16% CP with Tridax and Diet 4 = 16% CP without Tridax as the control. The treatments were replicated thrice. The feeding trial lasted for fourty-two days during which data on body weight and weight gains, feed intake and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) were collected. The data collected were subjected to cost/benefit evaluation and statistical analysis using S.A.S. (2002) software package. Dietary treatments produced significant (p<0.05) effects on feed consumption, body weights and weight gains, FCR, production costs and profit margins. Rabbits fed concentrate diets containing 14% CP+ Tridax supplement had the best feed conversion ratio, least production cost/per kg of body weight gain and highest profit margin than the other treatments. Based on the results, therefore, it is advisable to produce rabbits on diets formulated on 14% CP supplemented with Tridax ad lib if the producer’s objective is to maximize profit.