Performance of growing rabbits fed graded levels of sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) peel meal diets supplemented with and without molasses

Abstract

24 growing rabbits of mixed breeds of average weight of 896±56g were fed graded levels of sweet potato peel meal (SPPM) in place of maize-based diets with and without molasses. The animals were divided into 6 treatments ( with 2 replicates per treatment and 2 animals per replicate) and designated as follows: 0% replacement of maize by SPPM, without molasses (T1); 0% replacement of maize by SPPM, with molasses (T2); 25% replacement of maize by SPPM, without molasses (T3); 25% replacement of maize by SPPM, with molasses (T4); 50% replacement of maize by SPPM, without molasses (T5); and 50% replacement of maize by SPPM, with molasses (T6). The diets were offered ad-libitum to the animals for a period of 56 days. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio among the dietary treatments. Also, digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen free extract (NFE) as well as total digestible nutrient (TDN) showed no significant (p>0.05) difference among the different treatments; but the digestibility of crude fibre and ash were significantly (p<0.05) different among the dietary treatments. Hence, sweet potato peel meal can replace up to 50% of maize in the diets of growing rabbits without any detrimental effect on growth performance and digestibility of nutrients.