ABSTRACT

An experiment was conducted to determine the growth performance, blood parameters and reproductive characteristics of 8-week old male weaner rabbits fed 20% boiled pigeon pea seed meal. The study lasted for 16 weeks. Results showed that the diet containing 20% boiled pigeon pea seed meal (PPSM) significantly (P<0.05) improved growth parameters over the control (0% PPSM). Linear body parameters did not differ significantly (P>0.05). Average daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio were also significantly improved by the 20% boiled PPSM diet. Haematological parameters of the two groups of rabbit bucks were not significantly affected (P>0.05) by the treatment, meaning that the PPSM was adequate for maintaining the blood parameters at the normal levels. The 20% boiled PPSM significantly affected (P<0.05) final serum Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) (67.72±2.5 I.U/l) more than the ALT (57.50±2.02 I.U/l) of the control, which is an indication of liver problem. The globulin level (3.00 ± 0.23 g/dl) of the 20% boiled PPSM group was significantly higher than that of the control (2.60±0.06 gldl), indicating that the test diet did not alter protein metabolism in the rabbits. Rabbits on the control treatment were significantly (P<0.05) superior in all semen quality parameters except for semen volume. The average pubertal age of the control rabbits (197 days) did not differ significantly from that of those fed 20% boiled PPSM (194 days). In conclusion, since growth was improved in the test group, 20% boiled PPSM should continue to be fed to growing rabbits. However, as a result of depression in semen characteristics of the bucks, PPSM at 20% level should not be fed to breeding rabbit bucks. If rabbits are being raised for meat alone, then, this diet may be recommended.