Valorization of neem seed cake (Azadirachta indica) in the feed of growing rabbits in Bénin

Abstract

Neem seed cake (Azadirachta indica) has interesting crude protein and crude fiber contents for feeding farmed rabbits. Despite this nutritional value, its use in rabbit feed has hardly been reported in Benin. An experiment was conducted for 56 days, using 48 rabbits aged from 35 to 45 days, of mixed breed and with an initial average live weight of 722.21 g, in order to evaluate the zootechnical performances of growing rabbits fed with neem cake-based feed. Rabbits of both sexes were divided into four (04) dietary treatments according to their live weight. The experimental design used was a complete randomized block with four (04) treatments and four (04) replicates based on the incorporation rates of neem cake 1, 2 and 3 % in the diet (T1, T2 and T3), compared with a T0T control feed without neem cake. The parameters evaluated were Feed Intake, Average Daily Gain, Feed Consumption Ratio and Carcass Yield. An analysis of variance was performed using R 4.1.0 software to compare the above-mentioned parameters by treatment. The results showed that Feed Intake was not affected by the rate of incorporation of neem cake in the feed. At the end of the experiment, the average body weight of the rabbits, the feed consumption ratio and the carcass yield recorded in the experimental rabbits were similar between treatments. These results allow concluding that neem cake can be effectively incorporated into the feed of growing rabbits at rates ranging from 1 to 3%.