Effect of Cajanus cajan (L.) Supplementation on Growth, Nutrient Digestibility and Biochemical Indices of Giant Rat (Cricetomys gambianus Waterhouse, 1840)

The effects of Cajanus cajan on growth, nutrient digestibility and biochemical indices of 54 Giant rats were studied for 42 days department of zoology laboratory of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The rats were divided randomly into six groups of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% C. cajan diet respectively, with a total of 9 giant rats in each group. The diets contained protein, fibre, ash, fat and sugar /energy. Feed efficiency increased in the rats fed on 30% and 50% C. cajan. Crude protein digestibility decreased (P< 0.05) with increased levels of C. cajan. The values of plasma total protein, albumin, Albumin/ Globulin ratio, glucose, total cholesterol and urea nitrogen revealed non-significant changes among the groups that received different dietary treatments (P>0.5). The activities of small intestine trypsin of rats fed on diet 20% were higher than those of other diets, (p<0.05). The rats fed on 50% diet had the highest relative weight of stomach while the ones fed on 0% diet had also the highest relative weight of small intestinal contents and caecum. Inclusion of C. cajan also increased (P< 0.05) the relative weights of kidney, liver and carcass cut parts. This study recommend that C. cajan be included in growing giant rats diets up to 25% of the dry matter.