Reproductive Performance of Breeder Rabbits Fed Diets with Graded Levels of Orange Pulp Meal as Energy Source

The study was designed to access the reproductive performance of breeder rabbits fed graded levels of orange pulp meal (OPM). The pulps were gathered, sun-dried and milled prior to proximate analysis and feed formulation. Four experimental diets were formulated to supply 18% crude protein and 2600 KcalME/kg of Metabolizable energy. Diet 1 was control, while OPM replaced maize at 20, 40, and 60% for diets 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Forty (40), eight weeks old rabbits (32 does and 8 bucks) of a crossed between American chinchilla and New zealand white rabbits used for the experiment were weighed and distributed into four groups with ten rabbits ( 8 does and 2 bucks). Groups were randomly assigned to one of the four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Animals were raised under the experimental condition until sexual maturity at five months. At sexual maturity, does and bucks of the same treatment were crossed, does kindled within thirty two (32) days. Four parities were obtained during the experiment. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and significant means separated by Duncan’s multiple range test. The rabbits did not vary significantly in their mean daily feed intake but differed in their mean weekly weight gain. Does on treatment diets had significant higher average litter size at birth and average litter size at weaning. Average litter weights at birth and at weaning were statistically similar. The mortality was not due to treatment effect. It was therefore concluded that orange pulp meal could replace 60% of maize in the diets of breeder rabbits without adverse effect on reproductive performance.