EFFECTS OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION WITH PROBIOTIC (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND COST EFFICIENCY OF RABBITS

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on growth performance, carcass characteristics and economic efficiency of growing rabbits. Thirty mongrel rabbits were randomly asigned to five dietary treatments containing 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00% S. cerevisiae in a Completely Randomized Design for seven weeks. Data on growth performance, carcass traits, and production economics were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, with Duncan's Multiple Range Test used to separate means at P < 0.05. Supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the diet of rabbits, significantly improved final body weight, weight gain, average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, slaughter weight, dressed weight, and dressing percentage while feed intake and internal organ weights were not significantly affected. Rabbits fed the 0.50% probiotic diet recorded the highest final body weight (1828.75 g), total weight gain (1122.65 g), average daily gain (22.91 g/day), slaughter weight (1804.25 g), dressed weight (1102.30 g), dressing percentage (61.09%), and the best feed conversion ratio (4.17). Although feed cost increased with probiotic inclusion (₦365.00–379.00/kg), the 0.50% diet produced the lowest feed cost per kilogram of weight gain (₦1,551.24) and highest cost savings of ₦204.41. It was concluded that dietary supplementation with 0.50% Saccharomyces cerevisiae optimizes growth performance, carcass yield, feed efficiency, and profitability without adversely affecting internal organ development in growing rabbits.