Dietary replacement of maggot meal for soybean meal: implication on performance indices, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen utilisation and carcass characteristics of grower rabbits

AbstractA study was conducted to investigate the effect of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with maggot meal (MM) in growing rabbits ’ diets on their performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass characteristics. In the 56 days feeding trials, sixty unsexed mixed breeds (New Zealand White x California) rabbits were allotted on a weight equalization basis into five dietary treatments where a standard corn-soybean meal based d iet (0% of maggot meal) (MM0 diet) served as the while other diets had soybean meal replaced with MM at graded levels of 25, 50, 75 and 100% to give MM25, MM50, MM75, and MM100 diets respectively. Each treatment comprises of four replicates having three rabbits each (12 rabbits per treatment). Growt h performance parameters were monitored and recorded weekly, carcass and organ weights evaluation was conducted on day 56. Nutrient digestibility commenced on the 56th day and lasted for 6 days. Feed and water were offered to the rabbits ad-libitum throughout the experimental period. All the perform ance parameters were significantly (P <  0.05) affected by MM inclusion in the diet of rabbits. Rabbits fed MM100 diet had the highest (P <  0.05) final weight (FW), total weight gain (TWG), and the best feed conversion ratio (FCR). The feed cost reduced (P <  0.05) with inclusion of MM in rabbit’s diet. Feed cost per kg live weight (FC/LW) (1110.79 ₦/kg) and feed cost per kg weight gain (FC/WG) (1110.62 ₦/kg) was lowest (P <  0....
Source: Tropical Animal Health and Production - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research