Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Dried Brewers Grain on Performance of Grower Rabbits in Kwara State

This study examines the effect of dried brewers grain inclusion in the diet of grower rabbits on performance, carcass characteristics, and production economics in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. Brewers grain, a by-product of the brewing industry available in significant quantities in Kwara State from local breweries, contains useful protein and fibre but has not been systematically evaluated as a rabbit feed ingredient under Nigerian conditions. This study tests four inclusion levels of dried brewers grain: 0, 10, 20, and 30 percent in a maize-soybean-based grower rabbit diet using a completely randomised design. Sixty grower rabbits of New Zealand White breed at 5 weeks of age are randomly allocated in groups of 15 per treatment. Body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass yield, and cost of feed per kilogram weight gain are measured over 70 days. Findings reveal that 10 and 20 percent dried brewers grain inclusion maintains growth performance statistically equivalent to the control diet, with comparable feed conversion ratios and carcass quality. At 30 percent inclusion, feed conversion efficiency declines slightly but remains economically viable. Feed cost per kilogram gain is reduced by 12 percent at 20 percent inclusion. Carcass dressing percentage is unaffected across all treatments. The study concludes that dried brewers grain at up to 20 percent inclusion is a viable, cost-effective feed ingredient for rabbit production in Kwara State. It recommends regular grain drying quality control to maintain consistent nutritional composition in the by-product.

Keywords: brewers grain, grower rabbits, feed cost, performance, Kwara State.