Abstract

This experiment was conducted to determine the performance of weaner rabbits fed different dietary levels of dried maize wet-milling by-product (DMWB). Thirty weaner rabbits (New Zealand White and California White) were used. They were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments at 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% levels of dried wet-milling by-products with three replicates of 2 rabbits each. Palm oil was added to enhance the metabolizable energy. The experiment lasted for eight weeks. The results show that the average daily feed intake for rabbits placed on 75% (30.71g) was slightly higher than those placed on 0% (29.47g), 25% (29.65g), 50% (30.35g) and 100% (29.35g). However, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) among each other. The average daily weight gain was highest for rabbits placed on 75% ((13.12g/day) followed by those on 50% (12.58g/day), 25% (12.48g/day), 0% (12.35g/day) and 100% (11.98g/day. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) among the diets. On the feed conversion ratio, rabbits placed on 75% had lowest value (2.34), followed by 0% (2.38), 25% (2.38), 50% (2.41) and 100% (2.45). There was also no significant difference (p>0.05) among the diets. The cost of production per rabbit was lowest with 100% maize wet-milling by-product (N2,600), followed by 75% (N2,605), 50% (N 2,825), 25% (N2,950) and 0% (N3,040) which was the highest.

Key Words: Rabbits ,performance, Maize wet-milling by-product