A tota
l number of Fourty
eight NWZ rabbits at 4 weeks of age
(with an
average body weight of 683±28g) were randomly divided into three equal groups; Rabbits
were randomly
distributed into 3 equal groups, 16 rabbits/group in 2 replicates, 8 rabbits
in each. The f
irst group served a
s a control (C)
and fed soybean meal (SBM) as the
protein source. Jatropha meal (JCSM) replaced SBM at the levels of 50% or 100% in the
other two groups (T1 and T2).
The experimental rabbits were fed the tested experimental
diet for 10
–weeks
The aim of th
e present study w
as to evaluate Jatropha curcas seed
meal as a source of protein in animal feeding and to determine growth performance,
digestibility of nutrients, nitrogen balance, carcass characteristics, chemical and
physical propertie
s of rabbit meat. B
lood parameters
and cecum activities The results
obtained showed that:
No significant differences were found regarding average body
weight at any week of the experimental period.
And n
o adverse effect of any dietary
treatment on the grow
th of the experimen
tal animals was
reported. Apparent DM
digestion coefficients of control, 50% Jatropha and 100% Jatropha were, 62.20, 66.65 and
66.85% respectively, differences were not significant.
Digestibility of OM followed the
same pattern being 60.
26, 66.51 and 67.48% for the same r
espective groups.
Digestibility
of CP for the same diets was 78.57, 80.56, and 80.98%, respectively, differences were not
significant. Digestion coefficient of CF was generally low in rabbits being 53% for
control, 56.53%
for T1 (50%JCSM) a
nd 57.61% for T2
(100%JCSM); differences were not
significant. In general, It was noticed that NB in control, T1 and T2 were 1.28, 1.03 and
0.82, respectively; T1 was close to the control diet but T2 was less than
control
. Rabbits
fed the experimental die
ts had similar c
arcass traits and chemical composition and
JCSM
did not have any adverse effect on meat quality of growing rabbits. It was evident
that feeding growing rabbits diets containing different level JCSM
either at 50 or 100%
ha
d
almost no signifi
cant effect on b
lood plasma components.
Comparing the
morphological structure of the kidney and liver in Jatropha treated rabbits (T2 and T3) to
the control rabbits no abnormalities were reported.
No toxic syndrome for Jatropha
curcas seed meal on rabbits fe
d treated diet
s (T1 and T2) was observed.
Economic
efficiency was measured and reported to be better with the group T3 being 125%
followed by T2 being 108%. In general, using JCSM in replacement of soyabean meal
at
any level tested lead
to a better econom
ic efficiency.