Project – Carcass characteristics of rabbit-fed diet containing graded levels of dried cabbage (Brassica oleracea) leaf residues

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

In Nigeria, one of the major constraints confronting the livestock industry is the availability of feed stuffs, the sharp increase in the cost of conventional feedstuffs and the stiff competition between man and monogastric animals for conventional ingredient like grains, oil seeds and meals.The exorbitant prices and erratic supply (Aregheore, 1996) makes them too expensive for small scale farmers to incorporate them into rabbit diet. Rabbits are known to be able to utilize forage material, agro by-products and crop wastes efficiently (Patton, 1979). Sokumbi et al. (2003) posited that one of the method that have been utilized for some time now in alleviating these problems has been the replacement of a percent of grains and cake in livestock diet with agro-industrial by products. It is in this light, that ordent nutritionist have devoted their attention in investigating some unconventional energy and protein feedstuffs for livestock and indeed rabbit production in Nigeria. These feedstuffs should be free from man and other industries one of such unconventional feedstuffs with great potential is the cabbage leaf meal.

Cabbage leaves are characterized by high crude protein (CP) and minerals concentrations. On a dry matter (DM) basis, cabbage leaves contains more crude protein (17.0 – 17.2%) than stems but less than heads the concentration of Ca, S, and Mn were also higher in leaves than stems and heads. However, leaves might contain anti-nutritional factors such as thiocyonates and isothiocyonates, which may reduce animal growth performance (Pereira et al., 2002). The feeding value of cabbage leaf meal was determined for diets of juvenile trout (Pereira et al., 2002). The authors reported a reduction in feed intake, growth rate, and feed conversion ratio as the level of cabbage leaf meal in the diet increased. Living Stone et al. (1980) evaluated the nutritive value of whole cabbage for growing pigs.

1.2 Statement of the problem

The increase in cost of conventional feedstuffs and competition between human and monogastric animals for conventional ingredients is the major constraints confronting the livestock industry in Nigeria.

1.3 Aim and Objectives

• To determine the carcass characteristics of rabbits fed varying levels of cabbage leaf residues.
• To assess the total live weight of rabbits fed varying levels of cabbage leaf meal residues.
• To evaluate the carcass weights of rabbits as affected by the diets
• To assess the organs visceral rabbits internal organs weights (heart,  kidney, liver and intestine) as affected by the diets
• To evaluate the rabbits prime cuts weights (breast, back, forelimbs, hind limbs, neck and head) as affected by the diets.

Project – Carcass characteristics of rabbit-fed diet containing graded levels of dried cabbage (Brassica oleracea) leaf residues