MICROBIAL LOADS IN FAECES OF WEANER RABBITS (Oryctolagus cuniculus) FED BIOSLURRY DIET

Faecal microbial analysis is a powerful tool for assessing the health and performance of weaner rabbits. This study examines the intricate relationship between diet and faecal microbiota composition in weaner rabbits, and investigates the feasibility of incorporating biogas slurry into animal feed without adversely affecting the microbial gut content. The primary objective was to determine the effect of feeding diets containing graded levels of biogas slurry on the faecal micro-biodata and Coliform content. Twenty-four 6-week-old rabbits were used, nursed for 2 weeks, and then distributed into 3 weight-similar groups. Each group received one of three diets containing 0%, 5%, or 10% sun-dried biogas slurry, a nutrient-rich feed ingredient derived from the anaerobic degradation of chicken faeces. Rabbits were housed individually in cages in a completely randomized design. Feed intake and faecal samples were collected, and data were analyzed using ANOVA with SPSS Software (2016). The study found that rabbit groups fed diets with 5% and 10% biogas slurry showed no significant difference (P>0.05) in coliform content compared to control. This indicates that incorporating dried poultry droppings up to 10% in rabbit diets does not adversely affect the gut microflora of weaner rabbits, suggesting that biogas slurry, derived from poultry litter, can be a valuable dietary component for weaner rabbits. This could therefore offer an affordable and sustainable alternative feed, without compromising gut microbiota health. This research contributes to our understanding of dietary interventions in rabbit nutrition and sustainable livestock practices.