Nutritional and phytogenic properties of pawpaw (Carica papaya) leaf meal on blood characteristics of growing rabbits

Article Details: Received: 2018-10-26 | Accepted: 2019-03-04 | Available online: 2019-06-30https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2019.22.02.46-51The study aimed to examine the effect of pawpaw (Carica papaya) leaf meal diets on blood characteristics of rabbits. A total of 48, male rabbits were randomly divided into four experimental groups of twelve animals each, with four rabbits constituting a replicate. Each group was assigned to one of the experimental diets containing pawpaw leaf meal (PLM) at 0% (control), 15%, 30% and 45% for 56 days in a completely randomized design (CRD). Blood samples for analysis were obtained from each replicate and data obtained were analyzed statistically. Results on chemical composition of the PLM revealed 87.67% DM, 17.30% CP, 12.86% CF, 8.88% ash, 0.81% EE 47.82% NFE and 2348.05 Kcal/kg ME. PLM at 15% inclusion increased (P 0.05) across the treatments. Total protein was however best (P