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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Feeds and feeding is an integral part of pig production that claim between 60-75% cost of production and at the same time dictates the production strength and quality based on the observed feeding regime and feeding quality. Quality and quantity of feed ingredients utilized in feed formulation are the determinant of feed quality. These ingredients could be grouped as main (bulk), supplement (small) or micro (minute) ingredients depending on their inclusion rate. However they are all inevitable for good performance of the animals.

It is of great importance in livestock improvement to supplement for protein and other available nutrients which might be limiting in the diet of the animal. In animal nutrition, the provision of nutrients needed by the animal through supplementation is usually done in accordance to the animal’s requirements. 

It is a necessity to supply all the required nutrients by the animal in its diet, but the major limiting factors to achieving this are the sourcing of cheap, available and quality nutrients with the price been the most prominent. The prices of these protein sources have been escalating continuously in recent times, whilst availability is often erratic. The problem has been worsened due to the increasing competition between humans and livestock for these protein ingredients as food. According to Odunsi (2003) the rapid growth of human and livestock population, which is creating increased needs for food and feed in the less developed countries, demand that alternative feed resources must be identified and evaluated. 

In high populated countries that are Food-Deficit like Nigeria, surplus of cereals is generally not available; therefore, it is not advisable to develop a wholly grain-based feeding system. The recommended policy is to identify and use locally available feed resources to formulate diets that are as balanced as possible (Guèye and Branckaert, 2002). There is the need, therefore, to explore the use of non-conventional feed sources that have the capacity to yield the same output as conventional feeds, and perhaps at cheaper cost.

Soya bean meal and fish meal have been widely and successfully used as conventional protein sources for livestock but due to the high competition of these food and feed materials between man and animal, they are gradually being replaced with non-convectional protein sources like the moringa leaf meal for the formulation of animal feed. 

This strategy could help reduce the cost of production, and ensure cheaper meat production thereby making available the major crops for human consumption. The economization of feed cost using cheaper and unconventional feed resources (Vasanthakumar et al., 1999; Bhatt and Sharma, 2001; Muriu et al., 2002) is an important aspect of commercial pig production.

Recently, there has been interest in the utilization of moringa (Moringa oleifera) commonly called horseradish tree or drumstick tree, as a protein source for livestock (Makker and Becker, 1997; Sarwatt et al., 2002). Moringa leaves have quality attributes that make it a potential replacement for soybean meal or fish meal in non-ruminant diets. Moringa can easily be established in the field, has good coppicing ability, as well as good potential for forage production. Furthermore, there is the possibility of obtaining large amounts of high quality forage from moringa without expensive inputs due to favorable soil and climatic conditions for its growth. Sarwattet al. (2004) reported that moringa foliages are a potential inexpensive protein source for livestock feeding. The advantages of using moringa for a protein resource are numerous, and include the fact that it is a perennial plant that can be harvested several times in one growing season and also has the potential to reduce feed cost. Moringa oleifera is in the group of high-yielding nutritious browse plants with every part having food value (Duke, 1998).

Despite the high crude protein content of moringa leaf meal, there is little information available on the use of this unconventional feed resource, especially as an alternative protein supplement for pig production. 

The objectives of the study were to: 

Evaluate the chemical content of cultivated, air-dried moringa leaf meal. 

Evaluate the chemical content of wet brewers spent grain.

Evaluate feed intake and weight gain of weaner pigs fed diets containing moringa leaF CONTENT

TITLES PAGES 

Title Page --------ii

Abstract --------iii

Certification--------iv

Dedication --------v

Acknowledgement-------vi

Table of Content -------viii

List of Tables --------xi

List of Figures -------xii

List of Plates --------xiii

CHAPTER ONE:

Introduction--------1

1.1Objective-------3

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Litter Size at Birth------ 4

2.2Litter size at Weaning------ 5

2.3 Pre-weaning weight of litter size---- 6

2.4Age at First Mating------ 7

2.5Gestation Length------ 8

2.6 Effect of Litter Size------ 8

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1 Location and Climatic Condition of the Experimental Site-10

3.2 The Management practice-----10

3.3 Data Collection and Analysis-----12

CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS

4.1 Mean Performance of Rabbits----14

CHAPTER FIVE:

Discussion--------19

CHAPTER SIX: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

6.1Summary -------22

6.2Conclusion -------22

6.3Recommendations ------23

REFERENCES-------24



LIST OF TABLES

Table: 3.1. Estimated Composition of Experimental Diet---13

Table4.1: Descriptive Statistics of Reproductive Character of Rabbits Studied- 15

Table4.2: Effect of litter size at birth on post-weaning body weight of rabbits- 16



LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Mean weights of Rabbit post Weaning---17

Figure 2: Effect of Litter Size at Birth on Post – Weaning Body 

Weight of Rabbit------18



CHAPTER ONE 

INTRODUCTION

Domestic rabbits are of the descendants of oryctolagus cunniculus specie that is native to the western Mediterranean basin. The rabbit was domesticated recently with most breeds being developed by humans and are not older than 300 years (Lebas and Colin, 1992).

The rabbit has being used as an experimental animal in genetics and reproductive physiology since the beginning of the century but it was not until 1950 that the first findings on quantitative genetics were published. To upgrade the performance of rabbits, breeders should use local rabbits, either native or imported populations that have been locally adapted and make use of genetic variability that is available (source). Priority should be given to research on rural and backyard rabbit production since they require little investment and by using local resources that will be reasonable for production (Finzi, 1992). 

The most strategy of any mammal is to produce offspring and thereby perpetuate the species. Therefore if the high demand for meat in future years will have to be met, much of the increase in production would have to come from short cycle animal such as rabbit which have gestation period between 30-32days and a rapid growth rate that makes it ready for breeding at five (5) months of age and under good management conditions which compares favourable with the growth rate of other animals such as chicken (FAO, 1991).

Rabbit appears to be the most sustainable means of producing high quality animal protein for the expanding populations of the lesser develop country like Nigeria. Rabbit meat consumption has never violated any religious or social taboos, therefore, rabbits seem to have good potential as meat producing animal and also suitable solution to solve the lack of protein, especially when productive and reproductive efficiency are considered.

Therefore, it is desirable that young rabbits are properly managed to prevent delays in the onset of puberty (FAO, 1992). The reproductive performance of an animal determines to an extent, the turn over from animal production and the ratio of its growth rate. Growth rate varies from one breed of animal to another which provides information on genetic variation which will be of help in selecting breeding stock.

Litter size in rabbits varies considerably usually ranging from 6-10 kittens in domestic rabbits. 

Although the milk supply of mammalian mothers is reported to be partly adjusted to variation in litter size by the adaptative stimulation of pre-partum mammogenesis (Fossyth and Hayden, 1977, Jameson, 1998). There is evidence from a wide range of species that an increase in the number of siblings reduces the share of milk obtained by individuals. This result in a negative correlation between litter size and growth rates of dependent kits (Mendl, 1998,Mock and Parker, 1997, Hudson and Trillmich, 2007) There is a clear negative relationship between sibling number and kits growth rates or weaning weight in domestic breeds (Drummond el al 2000) as well as in European rabbits living under natural breeding conditions (Radel et al 2008).

1.1Objective

The objective of this study are to

Determine the mean Litter size and growth of rabbit.

Determine the effect of Litter size in post weaning body weight. f meal and brewers spent



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