ABSTRACT

 Twenty-four growing rabbits were used to determine the response of growing rabbits to varying forage combinations supplemented with maize offal/pahn kernel cake based diet. The experimental design was a completely randomized design (CRD). The animals were divided into four treatment groups and each group allotted to one of four diets. \\ hile one of the four experimental diets had 75 % Panicum maximum and 25 % Ci’iilmu'ma pubescens, serving as the control, the other three diets had 50 % of either l-.laeis guinensif, or Dactyladaenia barteri or Dialum guineense. Also, 50 g DM" of concentrate per rabbit was supplied to the animals daily. Parameters measured were weight gain, feed and protein intake, efficiency of feed utilization, protein efficiency ratio, fur characteristics, carcass quality, nutritive and organoleptic properties. There were significant (P<0.05) treatment effect on the daily feed and protein intake, weight gain and protein efficiency ratio. Rabbits on Treatment 1 consumed significantly (P-().()5) more feed daily (205.39 g) followed closely by rabbits on T2 (195.87 g) while: 13 consumed the least (160.31 g). Treatment 2 gave the best weight gain (12.66 g day), efficiency of feed utilization (15.48) and protein efficiency ratio (2.17) than other treatments. The gross margin and return on investment values did not differ significantly (P>0.05) among treatments. Also, carcass, organ and pelt characteristics results revealed fasted live weight, forearm, liver and kidney as the only carcass parameters that were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the dietary treatments even though T2 gave the biggest fur weight, fur area and fur circumference. Further, there were no significant (P-'0.05) difference on the nutritive properties of rabbit protein supplement among dietary treatments. However, organoleptic properties results reveal that T4 gave the best colour, texture, taste and was accepted better (P<0.05) than other treatments. It was (herefore concluded that feeding 25 % Panicum maximum and Centrosema pubescens with ^0 % of either Elaeis guinensis or Dactyladaenia barteri or Dialum guineense could lead to improved intake, weight gain, economic benefits, carcass quality, nutritive and organoleptic properties of rabbits especially when supplemented with concentrate; however E. guinensis demonstrated greater feeding potential for rabbits and is therefore highly recommended.