Reproductive Performance of Rabbit Does Fed Graded Levels of Moringa Oleifera Leaf Meal Based Diet

Author(s): Amao Emmanuel Ayodele, Jimoh Rasaq Adeola, Adeoti Temitope Mayowa

In a fourteen-week trial, twenty rabbit does and five bucks of mixed breed (for mating) weighing between 1874.50 and 1891.00 were allotted to four experimental diets in a completely randomized design to evaluate the reproductive performance of rabbitsdoes fed Moringa oleifera leaf meal as a replacement for soyabean meal in their diet. Pregnancy was detected by abdominal palpation at 14th and 21st days and nest boxes were provided for expectant does at the 28th day. Measurement were taken on Percent conception, Gestation length, Litter size at birth, Litter weight at birth , Average individual kit weight , Llitter size at weaning , Litter weight at weaning and Average kit weight at weaning . The study showed significant difference (p<0.05) on percentage conception with animals on 10% moringa leaf meal having the lowest value of 80%. Litter weight at birth showed significant difference (p<0.05) in favour of animals placed on moringa leaf meal as the the moringa leaf inclusion increses. Litter size at wening had highest value (p<0.05) for animals on 10% moringa leaf meal. Litter weight at weaning and average kit weight at weaning had highest value for animals on 20% moringa leaf meal. Based on these results inclusion of moringa leaf meal in breeding does diet pose no negative effect on the reproductive performance of the animals. To promote production in rabbit enterprise especially breeding aspect, moringa oleifera leaf meal could favorably replace soyabean meal up to 20%.

Rabbit does, reproductive performance, moringa oleifera, diet

1. Ajayi F.O., Balogun O.O., Ovuru, S.S., Mgbere O.O. 2005. Reproductive performance of rabbits fed maize – milling waste
2. based diets. African J. of Biotech., 4 (5), 439-443
3. Arijeniwa A., Otaikhian S.O., Maseun J.A. 2000. Performance of weaner rabbits led: Grower supplemented with different
4. grass legume rations. In: Proc. 5th Annual conference of Animal Sci. Ass. Nig. (ASAN), 2000 September, 103-105.
5. Cheeke P.R., Patton N.M. 1987. Rabbit Production and research in the People’s Republic of China. J. Appl. Rabbit Res., 10,68-75
6. Harris D.J., Cheeke O.R., Patton N.M. 1984. Effects of fryer rabbit performance on supplanting a pelleted diet of alfalfa or
7. grass hay. J. Appl. Rabbit Res., 7(4), 148-150
8. Lukefahr S.D., Hohenboken W.D., Cheeke P.R., Patton N.M. 1983. Doe reproduction and preweaning litter performance of
9. straightbred and crossbred rabbits. J. Anim. Sci., 57, 1090-1099
10. Raharjo T.C.; Cheeke P.R., Patton N.M., Supriyati K. 1986. Evaluation of tropical forages and by – product feeds for rabbit
11. production. 1. Nutrients digestibility and effect of heat treatment. J. Appl. Rabbits. Res., 9 (5), 6-11
12. Sarwatt S.V., Kapange S.S., Kakengi A.M.V. 2002. Substituting sunflower seed cake with Moringa oleifera leaves as supplemental goat feed in Tanzania. Agro-forestry Systems, 56, 241-247
13. SAS 1998. SAS User’s Guide statistics. SAS Inc. Cary, North Carolina, 1998 edition
14. Terzungwe Ahemen, Adakole H. Abu and Lois K. Iorgilim 2013. Physiological responses of rabbits fed graded levels of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM): Some aspects of haematology and serum biochemistry Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research, 5 (2):172-176 (http://scholarsresearchlibrary.com/archive.html)
15. Ramachandran, C., Peter K.V., Gopalakrishnan P.K. 1980. Drumstick (Moringa oleifera): a multipurpose Indian vegetable.
16. Economic Botany, 34, 276-283
17. Odeyinka S.M., Oyedele O.J., Adeleke T.O., Odedire J.A. 2008
18. Reproductive performance of rabbits fed moringa oleifera as a replacement for centrosema pubescens 9th World Rabbit Congress – June 10-13, 2008 – Verona – Italy