Estimation of Chemical Composition and Digestibility of Rabbits Fed on Cocoa Pod Husk Treated with Various Plant Ash Extract

Kana Sagne Augustin Derrick, Defang Henry Fualefac, Mube Kuietche Hervé, Matho Amandine, Mouchili Mama and Ebile Dayan Agwah

Background and Objective: Forage is the main source of fiber in herbivorous diet, in the context of sustainable development, valorization of agricultural by product is a huge priority. Current article deals with the study of banana plantain ash (ECB) and bean haulms (ECH) extracts on cocoa pod husk and measured its effect on chemical composition and digestibility in rabbits. Materials and Methods: A total of 64-six months old local breed rabbits of average weight 3000±155 g were randomly distributed into 8 experimental rations in a complete randomized designed with 8 rabbits per replicate and each rabbit served as experimental unit. From the control ration T (0-) without cocoa pod husks and T (0+) ration with untreated hulls, six other rations of which three (BT1, BT2, BT3) were formulated with hulls treated with extracts of ash from banana plantain leaves and three others (HT1, HT2, HT3) treated with bean haulms at respective concentrations of 7.5, 10 and 12.5 kg/100 L of water for 12 hrs. Results: The results revealed that treatment with as extract lead to a decrease in NDF, ADF, crude proteins and lipids as compared to the control (T0) without treatment. In contrary the level of crude fiber increases with ash treatment. The levels of theobromine and tannin decreases with increasing concentration of ash. Digestibility of CP, NDF, ADF was significantly higher (p<0.05) in animals fed rations containing treated hulls compared to those fed with untreated hulls (T0+). Conclusion: Results of this study concluded that ash extract from bean haulms at 12.5% concentration could be used in the treatment of cocoa pod husks to improve its digestibility by rabbits.

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