REPLACING MAIZE WITH CASSAVA ROOT MEAL OR ITS MIXTURE WITH BREWERS YEAST SLURRY IN RABBIT DIETS

Abstract

Three diets were evaluated for their effect\xa0on the performance, carcass yield and organ\xa0measurements of finisher rabbits. The\xa0control was maize-based (MC) while, in the\xa0other two diets, cassava root meal (CR) or its\xa0mixture with brewers yeast slurry (CYS)\xa0replaced the maize. Five approximately\xa09-week old crossbred (Chinchilla X California\xa0X New Zealand White) rabbits which averaged\xa0930g liveweight, were allocated to each diet\xa0and fed individually for 70 days. The rabbits\xa0were then slaughtered and their dressed\xa0carcasses and organs weighed. At 70 days of\xa0feeding, the average liveweights of rabbits fed\xa0MC, CR and CVS were 2120g, 2026g and\xa02098g respectively. Average daily reed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio\xa0were 66.8Og, 64.92g and 60.70g, 15.65g and 16.29g, and 3.92, 4.15 and 3.64 for the respective diets. Warm dressing % and organ weights as percent of empty carcass weight did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) among the diets. Kidney fat weight was lower (P< 0.05) for CYS than for MC and CR. Replacement of maize with CR in the diet lowered (P < 0.05) rabbit performance, while that with CYS allowed for more efficient utilization of the diet, and for leaner carcasses of rabbits. Keywords: Cassava, brewers yeast slurry,\xa0rabbits