Influence of Fermented Icacinia manni Meal on Growth Performance, Carcass, Internal Organs and Nutrient Digestibility of Weaner Rabbits

A twelve-week trial was conducted to determine the effect of fermented Icacinia manni meal on the performance, carcass, internal organs and nutrient digestibility coefficient of young growing rabbits. A total of forty (40) growing rabbits were used for the study. Four (4) experimental diets were formulated and labeled (T1, T2, T3 and T4. T1 (the control) had no fermented Icacinia manni meal, while T2, T3 and T4 contained fermented Icacinia manni meal at 5%, 10% and 15%, respectively, partly replacing maize in the diets. The rabbits were divided into four (4) treatments of ten rabbits, and each treatment was allotted to one of the experimental diets using a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment was further sub-divided into five replicates of two rabbits each and house individually in double-tier hutches. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum. Data collected were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). There were no significant (p>0.05) differences in feed intake, growth performance and feed conversion ratio of the growing rabbit. The values for live weight, dressed weight and dressing percentages of the growing rabbits were statistically similar (p<0.05). The internal organs (heart, lungs, liver and kidney) were not significantly affected (p>0.05) by the diets. The nutrient digestibility coefficient of the growing rabbits was influenced by the diet. It was concluded that fermented Icacinia manni meal could be included in rabbit diet up to 15% with no deleterious effects on the animals.