Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition
Year : 1993, Volume : 10, Issue : 3
First page : ( 147) Last page : ( 151)
Print ISSN : 0970-3209. Online ISSN : 2231-6744.

Utilization of Non Conventional Forages by Rabbits

Reddy G.V.N., Reddy M.R.

Department of Feed A Fodder Technology, College of Veterinary Science, Hyderabad - 500 030, India.

Online published on 5 January, 2012.

Received:  29  June,  1993.

Abstract

Twenty Newzealand white adult rabbits (2.94 kg; 17-18m in each group) were fed Subabui (Leucaena leucocephala) meal + concentrate mixture (T₁), Hedge lucerne (Desmanthus vergatus) meal+ Concentrate mixture (T₂), Red gram (Cajanus cajan) forage meal+ concentrate mixture (T₃) and concentrate mixture only (T₄), ad libitum in an experiment based on completely randomized design. In the 3 rations T₁, T₂ and T₃ roughage: concentrate ratio was 70: 30. DM intake was comparable on ail the rations. Digestibilities of all the nutrients were signiricantly higher in group T (fed solely on concentrate mixture). EE digestibility was higher on ration T₂ and T₃ compared to ration T₁ DCP (P<0.01) and TDN (P<0.05) values were significantly higher for ration T₄ but comparable for the other 3 rations. N balance was positive on ration T₄ but marginally negative on the other 3 rations. Hedge lucerne meal recorded significantly higher CP and EE digestibilities (P<0.0l) and DCP (P<0.05) content compared to subabui meal and red gram forage meal when calculated by difference method. DCP and TDN values obtained were 1.59 and 39.91 % for subabui meal, 4.52 and 45.06% for hedge lucerne meal and 1.85 and 47.55% for red gram forage meal, respectively.

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