Effects of Varying Levels of Leucaena Leucocephala Leaf Meal Diet on the Growth Performance of Weaner Rabbit
Keywords:
Leucaena leucocephala, leaf meal, weaner rabbit, growth performance, digestibilityAbstract
This study examines the effect of varying levels of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal diet on the growth performance of weaner rabbit. The purpose of this study is to examine the nutritional worth of including Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal as a plant protein source in the diet of rabbits. Twelve weaner rabbits were used for the study with four diet groups containng 0, 5, 10 and 15% Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal and measurements taken in a 50 day experimental period were: final body weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency ratio, and digestibility coefficient for crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract and ash contents. Three rabbits were randomly allotted to each dietary treatment after balancing for sex and body weight, and kept in individual pens. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance. Results show that the body weight gain of the rabbits decreased as the proportion of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal in the diets increased, except with 10% inclusion. The final body weights were 1.23kg, 1.12kg, 1.29kg, and 1.00kg for 0, 5, 10 and 15% inclusions, respectively. Average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were 106.7, 109.8, 109.6 and 73.9kg and 7.13, 10.54, 6.88 and 12.29 for the respective diets/inclusions. Digestibility coefficient for crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract and ash contents were not significantly influenced by the dietary treatments. Though the study asserts that Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal had adverse effects on the feed intake, body weight gain, nutrient digestibility, and growth performance when it is included in the ratio beyond 10% level of rabbit diet, yet the inclusion of 10% Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal in the diet of weaner rabbits ensured optimum performance and is, therefore encouraged as a healthy practice.
References
A.O.A.C (1980). Official Methods of Analysis (14th Edn). Arlington, Virginia: Association of Official Analytical Chemists, USA.
Barry, T. N. (1987). The Nutrition of Herbivores (Ed.) London: Academic Press U.K.
Bindon, B.M. and Lamond D. R. (1966). Examination of tropical legumes for deleterious effect on animal reproduction. Proceeding of Australian Society of Animal Production, 6, 109-116.
Carew B. A. R., Mosi A. K., Mba A. U. and Egbunike G. M. (1980). The potentials of browses in the nutrition of small ruminants in humid forest and derived savannah zones of Nigeria. International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA). Addis. Ababa, Ethiopia. pp 307-311.
Cheeke, P. R. (1983). The significance of fibre in rabbit nutrition. Journal of Applied Rabbit Research, 6, 103 – 106.
Glasby, J. C. (1975). Encyclopaedia of the Alkaloids 1:189; 11:966. New York and London: Plenum Press.
International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA) Newsletter (1986). Leucaena: An end to toxicity in ruminants? 5, 1 - 8.
Jones, R. J. (1979). The value of Leucaena leucocephala as a feed for ruminants in the tropics. World Animal Review, 31, 13 - 23
Kang, B. T., Grimme, H. and Lawson, T. L. (1985). Alley cropping sequentially cropped maize and cowpea with Leucaena on sandy soil in Southern Nigeria. Plant and Soil, 85, 267 – 269.
NAS (1984). Leucaena promise. In: Forage and Tree Crops for the Tropics, 2nd (Edn). National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 100p
Odunsi, A. A., Farinu, G. O. A. and Akinola J. O. (1996). Influence of dietary wild sunflower leaf meal in layers’ performance and egg quality. Nigerian Journal of Animal Production. 23 (1), 28 – 23.
Otesile, E. B. and Akapokodje, J. U. (1987). Leucaena leucocephala toxicity in N’dama cattles. Bulletin of Animal Health Production in Africa 35, 77 - 78
Palmer B., Jones R. J., Poathong S and Chobtang J. (1986). Within- country variation in the ability of ruminant in degrade DHP. Australian Veterinary Journal, 63, 259 - 262
Skerman P. J., Cameron D. G. and Riveros F. (1988). Tropical forage legume. FAO Plant Production Series No. 2 FAO, Rome (692o.
Vohra P., Herrick R. B., Wilson W. O. and Slopes T. D. (1972). Use of Leucaena leucocephala in the diets of laying chickens and laying quail. Philipp. Agric. 56, 104 – 113.
