Effect of Replacing Bone Ash with Fresh Water Snail (Pila ampullacea) Shell Ash on Carcass Characteristics of Weaner Rabbits
F. B. P. Abang *
Department of Animal Production, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
S. Attah
Department of Animal Production, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
E. Zoo
Department of Animal Production, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The research was conducted using twenty five (25) mixed breed weaner rabbits to investigate the effect of replacing bone ash with fresh water snail (Pila ampullacea) shell ash on carcass parameters of weaner rabbits. Five experimental diets tagged T1 to T5 were formulated such that fresh water snail (Pila ampullacea) shell ash replaced bone ash at 0%%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% for treatments T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 respectively. The rabbits were randomly assigned to the five dietary treatments and replicated five times giving a total of one rabbit per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). The treatments revealed a non- significant (P>0.05) effect on the dietary supplementation except for colon length. This study had shown that fresh water snail (Pila ampullacea) shell ash can serve as a substitute for bone ash in weaner rabbits diet up to 100% without adverse effect on the parameters determined.
Keywords: Rabbit, fresh water snail (Pila ampullacea) shell ash, bone ash, carcass and organ parameters