CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SELECTED FORAGES AND THEIR ACCEPTABILITY FOR RABBIT PRODUCTION ADEYEMI, A. A. AND ABU, O.

Abstract

Rabbits, if properly harnessed, could address the animal protein shortage in Africa throμgh the use of forage resources, which are richly available and abundant in the tropics. However, information on the potential use of these forages for rabbit production is scanty. Hence, this study examined the chemical composition of some selected forages and their suitability for rabbit production. 10 forages (Griffonia simplicifolia, Albizia odoratissima, Ficus thonningii, Leucaena leucocephala, Mangifera indica, Moringa oleifera, Gliricidia sepium, Terminalia catappa, Pentaclethara macrophylla, and Dacryodes edulis) were selected. The forages were subjected to proximate, mineral, and fiber fraction analyses and were screened for phytochemicals. The rabbits were fed using the cafeteria feeding technique, in which forages were presented to 72 rabbits for a period of 10 days to assess the coefficient of preference (CoP). Results showed that Leucaena leucocephala had higher (P<0.05) crude protein (26.15 %), and Pentaclethara macrophylla had higher (P<0.05) crude fiber (28.20 %), while Moringa oleifera (10.45 %) and Ficus thonningii (10.70 %) had higher ash values than other forages. Albizia odoratissima had higher (P<0.05) calcium level (4.56 cmol/kg) and iron (846.00 μg/dL), Gliricidia sepium had higher (P<0.05) magnesium (0.84 cmol/kg) and phosphorus (0.50 mg/kg) concentrations, while Leucaena had higher (P<0.05) zinc (96.20 μg/dL) and manganese (0.08 mg/kg) concentrations than others. Fibre fractions showed that Griffonia simplicifolia had higher neutral detergent fibre (58.77 %) and acid detergent fibre (43.18 %) values, while the highest (P<0.05) acid detergent lignin value was obtained in Leucaena leucocephala (14.39%). Values for phytochemicals (mg/100g) ranged from 0.01 - 0.09 for tannin, 0 - 1.90 for saponin, 1.00 - 2.36 for oxalate, and phytate from 2.01 - 3.33. The average value of CoP obtained for the feeding period showed that Leucaena leucocephala (2.12) was the most preferred. It could be concluded that all the forages are potential resources for rabbit production, though Leucaena leucocephala was the most preferred by the rabbits.