ABSTRACT

A study was conducted with 30 cross breed (Chinchilla rabbits to determine the digestibility and nutrient utilization of rabbits fed diets. The experimental design intake, significantly (P<0.05) higher faecal CP (2.53 g), CF (3.86 g), crude ash and NFE (5.48 g) than rabbits fed 0, 10 and 15% BGO diets. Rabbits fed 0 and 5%, 10 and 15% BGO diets had no significant (P>0.05) differences among each other in i nutrient intake and faecal nutrients. Diet of 20% BGO significantly (P<0.05) increased faecal dry Tpatter (98.58g), organic matter (88.97g) and faecal nitrogen(0.40g) more than any other diet. Rabbits fed 20% BGO diet had depressed apparent EE (85.28%), CF (65.80%), crude ash and NFE (89.54° digestibility coefficients more than rabbits fed control (0% BGO), 5, 10 and 15% BGO diets. The conclusion was that rabbits could be fed up to 15% Bambara groundnut offal (BGO) diet without adverse effect on nutrient intake, digestibilk and nutrient utilization. A diet of 20% Bambara groundnut offal should be expected to depress nutrient digestibility and utilization ofrabbits. viii was Completely Randomized Design (CRD). There x New Zealand white) 4raw graded levels of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean (L.) Verde) offal (BGO) were five treatments with each treatment replicated three times. There were two rabbits per replicate. The inclusion levels of BGO meal in the experimental diets were 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%. Parameters measured were feed intake, nutrient intake and nutrients voided, nutrient retention and apparent nutrient digestibility. Results showed that rabbits fed 20% BGO diet had higher CP (18.02 g) and CF (11.31 g)