RESPONSE OF GROWING RABBITS TO GRADED LEVELS OF FERMENTED AND UNFERMENTED PINEAPPLE PEEL

Forty individually caged growing rabbits were allocated equally to five groups in a 2 (processing methods) x 3 (inclusion levels) factorial layout. Fermented or unfermented pineapple peel meal (PPM) replaced 0%, 12.5% and 25% of maize on weight for weight basis. Average daily weight gain (ADG) reduced (P<0.05) as dietary inclusion level of PPM increased, although rabbits fed PPM at 12.5% dietary inclusion level compared favourably (P>0.05) with those fed the control diet. However, ADG of rabbits fed fermented PPM was higher (P<0.05) than that recorded for rabbits fed unfermented PPM. No significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in daily feed intake of rabbits as a result of inclusion level or processing type of PPM. Feed efficiency was better (P<0.05) on rabbits fed PPM at 12.5% dietary inclusion level than those fed at 25%. Total feed cost reduced (P<0.05) by 21.39% when PPM was included in the diet at 25% compared with 12.5% inclusion level. Processing method and dietary inclusion level of PPM had no significant (P>0.05) effect on dressing percentage of experimental animals. The liver weight was significantly (P<0.05) higher with increasing concentration of PPM in the diets while fermentation brought about a significant (P<0.05) reduction. It was concluded that replacement of 12.5% of dietary maize by fermented PPM encouraged optimum performance.