GUINEA GRASS

The study investigated the economy of feed conversion of weaner rabbits fed diets in which soybean meal (SBM) was partially replaced with Guinea grass (Panicum maximum) leaf meal (GGLM). Rising feed costs, especially for conventional protein sources like soybean meal, have prompted the exploration of locally available and low-cost alternatives to enhance the profitability of rabbit roduction. Twenty weaner rabbits aged 4–6 weeks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments containing 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% GGLM as replacement levels for SBM in a completely randomized design, with five rabbits per treatment. The diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric, and the feeding trial lasted ten weeks. Parameters measured included feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), cost of feed consumed, cost per kilogram weight gain, total production cost, and net profit. Results indicated that inclusion of GGLM up to 20% did not significantly affect growth performance or FCR compared to the control diet. However, feed cost per kilogram decreased progressively with higher inclusion levels of GGLM, with the lowest feed cost and highest net profit recorded at 30% inclusion. Economic analysis showed that substituting GGLM for SBM substantially reduced feed costs without adverse effects on productivity at moderate inclusion levels. The study concludes that partial
replacement of soybean meal with Guinea grass leaf meal (up to 30%) in weaner rabbit diets is economically advantageous and supports efficient feed utilization. It is therefore recommended for smallholder and commercial rabbit producers as a cost- effective strategy for improving profitability and sustainability in rabbit production systems.