Abstract

The growth performance and Haematology of rabbit bucks fed diet supplemented with Aspilia africana and Vitamin E was conducted at the Rabbitry Unit ofthe Teaching and Research Farm ofMichael Okpara University ofAgriculture. Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. The study lasted for a period of eight (8) weeks. A total of 18 mixed breed of rabbit bucks were used for this experiment. The experimental animals undergo acclimatization to the new environment for the period oftwo w'eeks before commencement ofthe experiment. The bucks were shared into three groups and fed three different diets supplemented with Aspilia africana and Vitamin E in the forage mix forages (Tridaxprocumbens, Centrosemapubescens, Calopogonium mucunoides and Panicum maximum) and concentrate diets respectively. The study was Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three treatments; Diet 1, Diet 2, Diet 3, with each treatment diet replicated 3 times. Six (6) composite breeds of Rabbit bucks were randomly assigned into three treatment diets with each replicate consisting of 2 rabbits. Diet 1 served as a control (no Aspilia africana and Vitamin E), Dietl {Aspilia africana), Diet3 (Aspilia africana and Vitamin E) supplemented in the diets. Parameters studied in the growth performance includes; initial live weight, final live weight, average weight gain, daily weight gain, total feed intake, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio, all the parameters obtained in the growth performance ofthe rabbit bucks fed diets supplemented with Aspilia africana and Vitamin E were significantly (P<0.05) different across the treatment groups except initial live weight. Parameters studied in the haematology includes; RBC, PVC, HB, WBC, MCV, MCH, MCHC, with the exception of RBC, all other haematological parameters showed no significant difference (P>0.05) among the different treatment groups. The results showed that Aspilia africana have growth stimulating effects when fed to rabbit bucks, thereby enhancing body weights ofrabbit bucks. Also since the values in the haematological parameter of this study are within the normal range, it can say that the animals were in the normal physiological state with disease free within the period of this study. The growth performance of the rabbit bucks fed Aspilia africana and Vitamin E was consistently higher than that ofthe rabbit bucks in the control group, which did not receive the experimental forage showing that Aspilia africana is a potential growth promoter as well as Vitamin E has the highest biological activity which is also essential in the animal diet for normal health. Since the values gotten from the Haematological parameters fall within the normal range, it deduced that the animals were in normal physiological state.