By Obinne, Joseph Ifeanyichukwu
A total of 81 weaner and adult rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) of mixed breeds
comprising New Zealand white, Califonia and Flemish Giant as parent stock were used in
three experiments to determine optimum protein and energy requirements of domestic
rabbits for growth, pregnancy (gestation) and lactation in the humid tropics of Southern
Nigerian. In experiment l,27 weaner rabbits of mixed sexes, 6 - 8 weeks (42 - 56 days)
old were used to evaluate protein and energy requirements of growing rabbits. The diets
furnished three crude protein levels (14.2, 16.2 and 18.1%) and three digestible energy
(DE) levels (6.7, 8.7 and 10.8 MJ/kg), giving a total of nine dietary treatments. The
rabbits were assigned in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, in a completely randomized
design. Three rabbits in individual cages, with each rabbit serving as a replicate, were
randomly allocated to each of the nine treatments. The feeding trial lasted for 84 days,
during which data used for computing daily DM intake (g), daily weight gain (g,) FCR
,- and apparent digestibility (%) were collected. Faeces were collected in the last seven days
of the feeding trial; the gross energy was determined for the various treatments and
subtracted from the gross energy of the diets to arrive at DE for the various treatments.
Two rabbits from each treatment were slaughtered, dressed and weighed to obtain their
carcass and organ weights.