PREFERENCE STUDY OF VARIOUS FORAGES IN A CAFETERIA ARRANGEMENT IN RABBIT PRODUCTION

Abstract

In Nigeria, plants commonly used as feed by rabbit farmers are those around the environment as weeds. Not much has being reported on the preference of rabbits among such plants which are often of little or no use where they are found. Hence this study was designed to access the preference of rabbits for selected plants (Tridax procumbens, Euphobia heterophylla, Alternanthera brasiliana, Aspilia africana, Tithonia diversifolia) used by farmers. A total of thirty crossbred rabbits were used in a cafeteria arrangement feeding trial to study the preference of rabbits for forages presented. The animals were separated into two groups having fifteen rabbits in each group. The various groups were further divided into three sub-groups. Each sub-group had five rabbits housed in same compartment on a deep litter system. Animals in group A had fresh forages, those in group B had dry forages. The result from this study showed that for weaner rabbits the nature of forage and duration of exposure of rabbits to the forages had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the preferences of the animals. The coefficient of preference (CoP) recorded for Euphorbia heterophylla (0.44±0.15) was significantly (p<0.05) highest followed by that of Tithonia diversifolia (0.19± 0.09) while Aspilia africana was the least (p<0.05) preferred with CoP 0.11±0.05. For the post-weaned rabbits, CoP was not significantly affected (p>0.05) in all the parameters considered. From the results it was concluded that Euphorbia heterophylla was the most preferred of all the forages presented.