Growth Performance of Rabbits Fed Diets Containing Different Levels of Energy and Mixture of Some Medicinal Plants

Abstract

A total number of 48 male growing New Zealand rabbits were used to study the effect of two different levels of ration energy supplemented with mixture of Lupinus albus L, Trigonella foenum-graecum L and Cassia senna L as feed additives. Rabbits were classified into four equal groups (G 1 -G 4 ). The 1 st and 3 rd groups received basal ration with 100 % and 90 % energy requirement and served as first and second control respectively. The 2 nd and the 4 th groups received basal ration with 100 % and 90 % energy requirement supplemented with mixture at the level of 1.5 %, respectively. The results showed that decreasing energy requirements level by 10% in rabbit diets significantly (P<0.05) increased the digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, CP and NFE & DCP values. The 90% energy level insignificant increased (P>0.05) CF and EE digestibility coefficients and TDN value. The 90% energy requirement with 1.5 % additives mixture (G 4 ) recorded the best digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, CP, CF, EE, NFE and nutritive values of TDN and DCP. The 90% energy level significantly (P<0.05) improved feed conversion (g intake /g gain) of DM, CP, DCP, TDN and DE, respectively compared to control. Adding mixture at 1.5 % level significantly (P<0.05) improved feed conversion (g intake /g gain) of DM, CP, DCP, TDN and DE, respectively compared to control. The 90% energy with 1.5% additives mixture (G 4 ) recorded the best values of final body weight, body weight gain, and average daily gain as well as feed conversion.Additives mixture at 1.5% level significantly (P>0.05) increased the total inedible offal's (weight and % of SW) and Dm contents of the 9, 10 and 11 th ribs. The 90% energy level with 1.5% additives mixture (G 4 ) diet recorded the highest value of relative economic efficiency (145.1%) and the lowest value of feed cost/ kg live body weight (3.97 LE).It can be concluded that this mixture of medicinal plants can be considered as growth promoter that is effective for improving the utilization of low energy diet by lowering circulating glucose levels through enhancing insulin sensitivity.

Incorporation field crop residues in rabbit rations

“…Meanwhile, Myrie et al (2008) showed that most feedstuffs contain anti-nutritional factors such as insoluble fibers, ligins, tannins and lectins, intake of these anti-nutritional factors reduced nutrient digestibility and increased endogenous protein losses, through increasing of intestinal mucus secretion. Data concerning with performance Table 4 in harmony with those reported by Asar et al (2010), Omer et al (2011), andOmer andBadr (2013) concluded that inclusion dried faba bean straw, strawberry by-products, pea straw, and corn-cob meal can be substituted for dried clover and barley in growing rabbit rations without any adverse effect on their performance. Also the present results in agreement with those found by García et al (1993) who showed that incorporation sugar beet pulp up to 15% did not effect on growth performance.…”

“…Also, Salwa et al (2000), Falcão-e-Cunha et al (2004), andSarhan (2005) noticed that inclusion of agriculture by-products in rabbit rations improved EE digestibility. Also, Omer and Badr (2013) found that OM, CF, EE, and NFE digestibilities were significantly (P < 0.05) improved with replacement Berseem hay by pea straw in rations at different levels of replacement (0, 25, 75, and 100%). Also, feeding 30% pea pods hulls diet had better nutritive value compared to control (Sarhan 2005).…”

“…From the previous study, agriculture by-products such as peanut vein hay, straws of kidney beans, barley, flax, pea, and others may help in the solution of the shortage of animal feeding (Omer et al 2012;Omer and Badr 2013). Berseem hay that considered as the important source of roughage depending on using it in rabbit ration formulation can be replaced by 50% of different roughages such as soybean vein hay, peanut vein hay, and Mung bean husks without any adverse effect on their gain, digestion coefficients, carcass characteristics, and blood constituents.…”

“…Data of blood parameters (Table 8) (2008). Meanwhile, when BH was replaced by pea straw at different levels (0, 25, 50, and 100%), alkaline phosphatase increased (P < 0.05), total cholesterol decreased (P < 0.05), and total protein and globulin were increased in tested rations (Omer and Badr 2013).…”

Influence of Using Natural Feed Additives on Some Reproductive and Productive Performance of Doe Rabbits.

“…Most of these active secondary metabolites are isoprene derivatives, flavonoids and glucosinolates. Reports on the effects of this group of feed additives on rabbit growth performance (Omer et al, 2012), antioxidant, and antibacterial activity (Al-Turki, 2007), meat quality (Cardinali et al, 2012), blood biochemical parameters (Al-Jowari, 2012), reproductive performance (El-Nattat and El-Kady, 2007) and doe milk production (Eiben et al, 2004) are still fairly scarce, however in growing rabbits, particularly weaners, digestive disturbances are the main cause of the morbidity and mortality that create important economic losses for rabbit farmers (Licois, 2004 andMarlier et al, 2006). Weaning is the period in which the bunnies are separated from their mothers, milk is substituted with solid feed, and the bunnies immune system is still immature (Carabaño et al, 2006 andGidenne et al, 2005).…”