Growth & carcass characteristics of weaned rabbits fed diets containing graded levels of sun dried Shea- nut (Vitelaria paradoxa) cake.

The study was to evaluate the growth performance and carcass characteristics of weaned rabbits fed diets containing varying levels of sun dried Shea-nut (Vitelaria paradoxa) cake. The experiment which lasted for 70days contained 4 treatments with 0%, 20%, 25% and 30% inclusion of Shea-nut cake in treatments 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively. A total of 48 unsexed weaned rabbits were randomly allotted to the 4 treatments where each treatment had 4 replicates of 3 rabbits per replicate in a completely randomized design. The Shea-nut cake used was sundried and milled with the other feed ingredients. The parameters measured include feed intake, initial weight, final weight and carcass weight. While weight gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality rate (%) were calculated. The results showed that the Rabbits on diet T4 (30% inclusion) had significantly higher body weight gain and feed efficiency than those on the other diets, the carcass analysis also showed that the eviscerated weight and cut-up parts (such as hind limb, fore limb, back, thorax, loin, and tail) weights of the rabbits on diet T4 (30% inclusion) were not significant (P>0.05) but the dressed weight, head and neck were significantly higher (P<0.05) than the others. The results showed that sun-dried shea-nut cake improved the feed intake and body weight gain of rabbits fed 30% of shea-nut cake. Shea-nut cake could therefore be used in rabbit diets up to 30% in the diets of weaned rabbits. Shea-nut cake should also be tried in the feed of other farm animals.