Effects of Replacing Soybean (Glycine Max) with Fermented Sickle Pod (Senna Obtusifolia) on the Productive Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Domestic Rabbits

ABSTRACT: An experiment was conducted for 56 days to determine the productive performance and carcass characteristics of domestic rabbits fed fermented Senna obtusifolia seed meal (FSOSM)-based diets. A control soybean meal-based diet and diets containing 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% FSOSM as a replacement for soybean were formulated for the study. Twenty (20) domestic growing rabbits with an initial weight range of 605.25 – 662.75 g were randomly allotted to the five dietary treatments in a Completely Randomized Block Design with four replicates of one rabbit each. The productive performance was not significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by the diets. The daily weight gain ranged from 11.11 – 12.09 g/d, total weight gain 622.16 – 677.01 g/d, daily feed intake 55.15 – 61.41 g and feed conversion ratio ranged from 4.83 – 5.02. The carcass characteristics were similarly not affected (P < 0.05) by the dietary treatments. Dressing percentage ranged from 50.05 – 59.70% and retail cuts for shoulder, rack, loin and thigh were 17.73 – 18.99, 5.20 – 6.28, 13.26 – 14.17 and 20.28 – 22.33 percent body weight. It was concluded from this study that replacement of soybean with FSOSM up to 100% had no adverse effects on the productive parameters and carcass characteristics of domestic rabbits.