Global Journal of Biology, Agriculture & Health Sciences

Abstract

Effect of the Incorporation of Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) on Growth Performance of Cavies (Cavia porcellus L.)

Kingsley A. ETCHU; Felix MEUTCHIEYE & Brice S. P. TEGNE

The study of the effects of the incorporation of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) on growth performance of cavies (Cavia porcellus L.) was conducted at the caviaculture unit of the Research station of IRAD Ekona between June and September 2015. The animals, thirty (30) young male had an average weight of 250 ± 50g. They were divided into 6 groups of comparable average weight. Each group randomly received one of three treatments with 2 replicates. The treatments were the following: Pennisetum purpureum + Feed containing 0% of Cajanus cajan (T0) control group, Pennisetum purpureum + Feed containing 10% Cajanus cajan (T1) and Pennisetum purpureum + Feed containing 20% Cajanus cajan (T2). The animals were then observed for 8 weeks and data collected for each animal throughout this period. The results obtained at the end of this study were not significantly different (P> 0.05): The daily food consumption increases for treatments T1 and T2. Live body weight were 412.50 ± 6.36 g, and 457.94 ± 4.51g, 433.00 ± 35.35g for treatments T0, T1 and T2 respectively. ADG for T0, T1 and T2 were 3.21 ± 0.17 g, 3.77 ± 0.16 g and 3.50 ± 0.27 g, respectively. The feed conversion ratio were 8.82 ± 0.167, 8.44 ± 0.738, 8.87 ± 0.074 for the controls, T1 and T2. As regard to the evaluation of the carcass, the highest carcass weight was recorded with the treatment T1 330.500 ± 24.29 g. While with treatment T2 it was 271.625 ± 44.30 g. The carcass yields were 67.06 ± 7.88%; 66.93 ± 2.59% and 66.80 ± 1.75% respectively for the control group, T1 and T2.

Published Date: 2016-10-03;