Performance of growing rabbits fed soybean cheese waste meal diet and lablab hay

Abstract

Growing crossbred rabbits were used to study the performance of rabbits fed different levels of soybean cheese waste (SCW) diet and lablab hay. The treatments comprised of levels of soybean cheese waste diet and lablab hay on a gram to gram basis of: (1) 100:60 (100:60S), (2) 75:85 (75:855), (3) 50:110 (50:110S) and (4) 25:135 (25: 135S) to give a total feed supply of 160g/rabbit/ day. The control was 100:60 (100:60R) of rabbit diet and lablab hay respectively. The concentrates. and forage were offered in separate feeders at 08.00 hours. Rabbits on 100:60S had significantly higher weight gain than the control on rabbit diet (100:60R), Weight gain decreased linearly with decrease in level of SCW. Total daily feed intake was significantly higher for the control than the SCW treatments. Among the SCW treutments, total daily feed intake was significantly higher for rabbits on 25: 135S than 50: 170S. The control had the highest feed cost. Cost/kg gain was significantly higher for the control and 25:135S treatments than the other treatment groups with savings of 58 73% on SCW. Nutrient intake was significantly higher for the control than SCW treatments. Dry matter and ether extract digestibility was similar for the treatments. Crude fibre digestibility was lowest while nitrogen free extract digestibility was highest for the control than the SCW treatments. Crude protein digestibility was similar for the control and other treatments but higher for 75:85S. It is concluded from this study that based on the lower cost of production and high nutrient digestibility of rabbits on soybean cheese waste diet and lablab hay, soybean cheese waste show's good prospect as an alternative cheap feed stuff for rabbit production.