PERFORMANCE and COST of PRODUCTION of NEW ZEALAND WHITE, CALIFORNIA WHITE RABBIT (Oryctolagus Cuniculus) BREEDS and THEIR CROSS UNDER TWO FEEDING REGIMES
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PERFORMANCE AND COST OF PRODUCTION OF NEW ZEALAND WHITE, CALIFORNIA WHITE RABBIT (Oryctolagus cuniculus) BREEDS AND THEIR CROSS UNDER TWO FEEDING REGIMES A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for Masters Degree of University of Nairobi (Animal Nutrition and Feed Science) By Faustine Nasimiyu Wanjala (B.Sc, UoN) Department of Animal Production Faculty of Agriculture University of Nairobi AUGUST, 2015 DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for award of a degree in any other University. FAUSTINE NASIMIYU WANJALA, B.Sc. Signed: ___________________ Date: _______________________ This thesis has been submitted with our approval as university supervisors: Prof. M.M, WANYOIKE, Ph.D Department of Animal production Signed: _______________________________ Date: __________________ Prof. C.K. GACHUIRI, Ph.D Department of Animal production Signed: _____________________________ Date: ________________ Copyright © 2015 University of Nairobi. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many thanks go to the University of Nairobi for awarding me an academic scholarship to pursue my Master degree. This will forever be appreciated. Secondly, I would like to acknowledge my supervisors Prof Margaret Wanyoike and Prof Charles Gachuiri for their guidance through the proposal writing, data collection and thesis writing. Many thanks to the staff of the entire Animal Production department, especially technologists Ms Kimende, Mr. Kyalo and Mr Ambale for their assistance with laboratory analysis, Mr Kanyi of Poultry unit for overseeing the smooth running of the rabbit unit, particularly with the help of M. Waweru, C. Ndung’u and W. Mwaura. Dr. F. Kibegwa and Mr O. Nyongesa (Plant Protection) for their assistance during data analysis. Finally I would like to extend my gratitude to my family, especially my parents, for their financial as well as moral support. My appreciation also goes to Mr A. Frigo for his constructive criticism as well as encouragement and friends who provided a shoulder when the going got tough. The work reported in this thesis was carried out as part of the activities under the research project ‘Strategies to Promote the Rabbit Value Chain in Kenya’ funded by the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovations (NACOSTI). iii DEDICATION To my parents. Who made me understand the importance of education at a tender age iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .......................................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... iii DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................................. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................. v LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................................ x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................................................... xi ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT ................................................................................................................. 3 1.2 JUSTIFICATION ............................................................................................................................... 3 1.3 OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1 OVERALL OBJECTIVE ............................................................................................................. 4 1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................ 4 CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 5 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Rabbit industry in Kenya .................................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Opportunities for rabbit sector in Kenya ............................................................................................. 7 2.3 Constraints to rabbit production in Kenya .......................................................................................... 7 2.4 Rabbit breeds .................................................................................................................................... 10 2.5. Rabbit production systems ............................................................................................................... 11 2.6 Rabbit feeding ................................................................................................................................... 12 2.6.1 Anatomy of the rabbit digestive tract ......................................................................................... 12 2.7 Nutrient requirements ....................................................................................................................... 13 2.7.1 Energy and Fibre ........................................................................................................................ 13 v 2.7.2 Protein and Amino acids ............................................................................................................ 15 2.7.3 Additives .................................................................................................................................... 17 2.8 Rabbit nutritional disorders ............................................................................................................... 18 2.9 Influence of genotype on rabbit production ...................................................................................... 19 2.10 Rabbit Meat Quality ........................................................................................................................ 20 2.11 Factors affecting rabbit carcass quality attributes ........................................................................... 21 2.11.1 Environmental Temperatures ................................................................................................... 21 2.11.2 Housing .................................................................................................................................... 22 2.11.3 Nutrition ................................................................................................................................... 22 2.11.4 Genetic effects and biological factors ...................................................................................... 23 2.12 Cost of production ........................................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................................................................................... 26 PERFORMANCE AND COST OF PRODUCTION OF NEW ZEALAND WHITE, CALIFORNIA WHITE AND THEIR CROSS UNDER TWO FEEDING REGIMES. ..................................................... 26 3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................ 26 3.1 Study site ........................................................................................................................................... 26 3.2 Experimental animals and their management ................................................................................... 26 3.3 Experimental design .......................................................................................................................... 27 3.4 Experimental diets and feeding ......................................................................................................... 27 3.4.1 Concentrate based ration. ........................................................................................................... 27 3.4.2 Forage based diet supplemented with different levels concentrate. ........................................... 27 3.5 Data Collection ................................................................................................................................. 28 3.5.1 Grower rabbit parameters ..........................................................................................................