Growth Performance Study of Weaned Rabbits fed a Dietary Inclusion of Sweet Potato Peel-Cassava Leaf Mix Meal

This research evaluated the growth performance in an eight-week experiment of thirty-six weaned male rabbits of the Hyla breed by incorporating a dietary inclusion of sweet potato peels-cassava leaves mix meal (SPCLM). The rabbits were randomly assigned to four treatment groups with varying inclusion levels (T1 = 0%, T2 = 20%, T3 = 40%, and T4 = 60%) in a completely randomized experimental design. Each treatment group had nine weaned rabbits in three replicates and three rabbits per replicate. The growth performance parameters assessed include average daily feed intake (ADFI), daily and total weight gain, final weights, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Proximate analysis of sweet potato peels, cassava leaves, and sweet potato peels-cassava leaves mix meal were carried out prior to the commencement of the feed trial. The crude protein content of SPCLM (6.18%) was found to be higher than SPP (4.08%). The ADFI and final weight of rabbits were significant (P < 0.05) among the treatment groups. Rabbits fed at 20% inclusion level (T2) showed the highest ADFI (94.48g) followed by T4 (93.59g) and the lowest ADFI was recorded in T1 (85.17g). Total weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) showed no significance (P > 0.05) among the treatment groups. However, the highest weight gain and best FCR were recorded at 20% inclusion level, with respective values of 1356.08g and 3.24. The result showed that SPCLM can be incorporated into the diet of growing rabbits for up to 20% inclusion level for optimum growth performance without any deleterious effect.