DIGESTIBILITY COEFFICIENTS OF DIETS CONTAINING GRADED LEVELS OF

SWEET POTATO PEEL MEAL BY WEANER RABBITS

BY

LAMECH AARON
HND/AP/2022/1384

AUGUST, 2024

i
DIGESTIBILITY COEFFICIENTS OF DIETS CONTAINING GRADED LEVELS OF
SWEET POTATO PEEL MEAL BY WEANER RABBITS

BY

LAMECH AARON

HND/AP/2022/1384

A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION,

SCHOOL OF ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY, FEDERAL
COLLEGE OF ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY NVRI
VOM. PLATEAU STATE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF A HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN ANIMAL
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY.

AUGUST, 2024

ii
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this project entitled “DIGESTIBILITY COEFFICIENTS OF DIETS

CONTAINING GRADED LEVELS OF SWEET POTATO PEEL MEAL BY WEANER
RABBITS” was carried out and written by me under the supervision of Dr. Amos G. Yisa.
The information derived from other literatures has been duly acknowledged in the text and a
list of references provided. No part of this project was previously submitted in any form or
elsewhere for the award of any other Certificate Diploma or Degree.

_____________________________

LAMECH AARON
HND/AP/2022/1384

iii
 CERTIFICATION
This project entitled “DIGESTIBILITY COEFFICIENTS OF DIETS CONTAINING
GRADED LEVELS OF SWEET POTATO PEEL MEAL BY WEANER RABBITS” by
LAMECH AARON HND/AP/2022/1384 meets the regulations governing the award of
Higher Diploma (HND) in Animal Production Technology of Federal College of Animal
Health and Production Technology, Vom and is approved for its contribution to knowledge
and literary presentation.

Sign__________________ Date___________________
Dr. Amos G. Yisa
(RAS, MNSAP, MASAN)
B.Agric, M.Tech. PhD (Animal science)
(Supervisor)

Sign__________________ Date___________________
Mr. Danladi Yusuf Salihu
MSc Animal Science (ABU)

(Head, Animal Production Department)

Sign__________________ Date___________________
Dr. (Mrs). Maryam H. Bot
Bsc (UniMaid), MSc (ABU)

PhD (ABU) Animal Science.

(Dean School of AH&AP)

Sign__________________ Date___________________
Dr. Jude Obi Okpara
DVM (UNN). MSc (UNN), PhD (ABU).

(Provost, FCAH&PT,VOM)

iv
 DEDICATION
I want to dedicate this work to my parents Mr and Mrs Lamech for their unending support
financially, spiritually, and morally in seeing me achieve this great goal in life. I pray
Almighty God continue to provide and keep them safe.

v
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I want to thank God for all the grace and blessings he bestowed me am forever grateful, also
want to acknowledge the kind effort and support I received from my Supervisor Dr. Amos G.
Yisa. Your word of encouragement during my project work was so helpful and i am so
grateful for that, may God continue to bless you and provide for you and your family. I want
to extend my gratitude to my dear friends who help me through thick and thin during this
project. May Almighty God provide for you and your families.

vi
LIST OF TABLES PAGE
Table 1 Percent ingredient composition of rabbit diets containing sweet potato peel.
20
Table 2 Proximate composition of feed ingredient 24
Table 3 Proximate composition of feces from rabbit fed diets containing graded levels of
sweet potato peel meal. 25
Table 4 Feed intake of rabbit fed diets containing graded levels of sweet potato peel meal.
26

vii
 TABLE OF CONTENT
Content. Page
Title page ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i
Declaration -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii
Certification ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv
Dedication ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- v
Acknowledgment ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ vi
List of Tables ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------vii
Table of contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vii
Abstract ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ x
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
1.1Background of the study ------------------------------------------------------------------------1
1.2 Statement of the problem ----------------------------------------------------------------------3
1.3 Significance of the study -----------------------------------------------------------------------3
1.4 Aim and Objectives -----------------------------------------------------------------------------4
1.4.1 Aim ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
1.4.2 Objectives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4
CHAPTER TWO

viii
2.0 Literature review--------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
2.1 Nutrient Digestibility in Rabbit --------------------------------------------------------------6
2.1.1 Importance of Nutrient Digestibility in Animals ----------------------------------------6
2.1.2 Factors Affecting Nutrient Digestibility in Rabbit---------------------------------------6
2.2 Sweet Potato Peel a meal as feed ingredient ----------------------------------------------8
2.2.1 Benefits of using Sweet Potato Peel Meal on animal diet ------------------------------9
2.3 Nutritional Benefits and Drawbacks of Using Sweet Potato Peel ---------------------11
2.3.1 Nutritional Benefits of Using Sweet Potato Peel ----------------------------------------11
2.3.2Drawbacks of Using Sweet Potato Peel ---------------------------------------------------12
2.4 Weaning and Diet Transition in Rabbit------------------------------------------------------12
2.4.1 Importance of Weaning in Rabbit Growth and Development -------------------------12
2.4.2 Challenges during the Weaning Period----------------------------------------------------13
2.4.3 Strategies to improve Diet Transition and Nutrient uptake ----------------------------13
2.5 Nutritional Requirement of Weaned Rabbits -----------------------------------------------14
2.5.1 Essential Nutrients for Weaned Rabbits --------------------------------------------------14
2.5.2 Common Dietary Formulation for Weaned Rabbits -------------------------------------15
2.5.3 Impact of Different Feed Ingredient on Growth Performance ------------------------16
2.6 Potential Health Implications -----------------------------------------------------------------17
2.6.1 Digestive Health in Rabbits and Dietary Influences ------------------------------------17
2.6.2 Potential Benefits of Improved Nutrient Digestibility ----------------------------------17
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Materials and Methods -----------------------------------------------------------------------19
3.1 Study Area -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
3.2 Feed ingredients -------------------------------------------------------------------------------19
3.3 Experimental diets ----------------------------------------------------------------------------20
3.4 Experimental Design and Management -----------------------------------------------------21
3.4.1 Feed management ----------------------------------------------------------------------------22
3.4.2 Experimental Design ------------------------------------------------------------------------22
3.5 Data collection ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------22
3.5.1 Feed intake ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------22

ix
3.5.2 Fecal collection ------------------------------------------------------------------------------22
3.6 Nutrient digestibility trial ---------------------------------------------------------------------22
3.7 Proximate composition of feces --------------------------------------------------------------23
3.8 Statistical analysis ----------------------------------------------------------------------------23
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Results and Discussion -----------------------------------------------------------------------24
4.1 Presentation of Tables ------------------------------------------------------------------------24
4.2 Discussion ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------28
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation ----------------------------------------------29
5.1 Summary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------29
5.2 Conclusion---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------29
5.3 Recommendation-------------------------------------------------------------------------------30
REFERENCES

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine the growth performance of weaner rabbit fed diet
containing different inclusion levels of sweet potato peel meal. A total of 32 rabbits with
average weight 700 – 900g were enrolled for the experiment. The experiment was laid out in
a complete Randomized Design (CRD). The rabbits were assigned to four (4) dietary
treatments of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% inclusion levels respectively. The rabbits were
grouped in to four comprising of 8(eight) rabbit per treatment each representing a replicate
per treatment group. This was carried out for six (6) weeks during the raining season. Results
revealed that the growth performance showed significant (P < 0.05) difference across all
dietary treatment. Results of apparent nutrient digestibility of the experimental animals
presented in this study shows significant difference (P < 0.05) in Dry Matter, Crude fibre,
and Crude Protein among the treatment groups.
The study concluded that 10% Sweet potato peel meal (SPPM) can be included in the diet
meant for rabbits without fear of compromising nutrients Digestibility or causing any
detrimental effect to rabbit.