Carcass Characteristics of Rabbit Does Fed Aspilia africana

The study was carried out with thirty (30) dutch breed rabbit does aged 5 to 6 months to determine the effect of feeding Aspilia africana on the carcass characteristics of rabbit does. The animals were housed singly in rabbit hutches made of wood and wire-mesh. Two weeks pre-experimental quarantine period was allowed to enable the animals adjust to the new environment. The experiment was in a completely randomized design with three treatment groups. The treatment consisted of mixed forages (made up of Panicum maximum, Ipomea batatas leaves, Centrosema pubescens and Musa sapientum leaves) without A. africana (T1; control), fresh A. africana (T2) and wilted A. africana (T3). Each treatment was replicated 5 times with 2 replicates. The same concentrate diet was fed to the rabbits in all the treatment groups throughout the period of the experiments. At the end of the experiment, two does in each treatment group were slaughtered for carcass evaluation. The results obtained showed that the initial body weight of the rabbit does was 1.74kg. Does in T2 and T3 had significantly higher (P < 0.05) live weights 3.20kg and 3.05kg respectively than T1 (1.45%); higher carcass weights of 2.95kg and 2.81kg respectively than T1 (1.20kg) and also higher dressing percentages of 92.51% and 92.03% respectively than T1 (83.46%). The organ weights for T2 (liver: 37.00g and kidney: 207.00g) and T3 (liver: 30.30g and kidney: 171.70g) were higher than T1 (liver: 17.88g and kidney: 156.15g), suggesting that Aspilia africana is nutritionally suitable for feeding rabbits and can be tolerated by rabbit does.