The Effect of Dried Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) Fruit Pulp Meal on the Growth Performance of Rabbits

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted with thirty six mixed breeds of rabbits to assess the feeding value of sun dried sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) fruit pulp meal (SOPM). The sweet orange peel meal was analyzed for its proximate nutrients and its crude fibre constituents. The nutrients in SOPM were 7.71% CP, 9.6% CF, 2.12% EE, 5.18% ash, 75.31% NFE and 3756.14kcalME/kg. The crude fibre fractions were 15.04% cellulose, 20.46% hemi-cellulose, 38.28% NDF, 18.32% ADF and 3.28% ADL. The experimental rabbits were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments: T₀, T₅, T₁₀, T₁₅, T₂₀ and T₂₅ in which SOPM replaced maize at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%, respectively at the rate of six rabbits per dietary group. The rabbits were fed these diets for 84 days during which performance and nutrient digestibility were evaluated. Experimental diets had significant effects (p<0.05) on the body weight gain, water intake, water: feed ratio, protein efficiency ratio and final live weight. Coefficient of digestibility and nutrient digestibility, were not adversely affected by the inclusion of SOPM in the diets. This study has shown the possibility that sweet orange fruit pulp meal can be used as a replacement feedstuff for maize in the ration of grower rabbit up to a level of 20%.