Some Nutritional Studies On Rabbit Feeds and Feeding

The main objective of the present work was directed to evaluate the possibility of using both leucaena leaf meal ( LLM) and Acacia leaves meal (ALM) as non traditional sources of protein in feeding rabbits. At the start of the work the raw leucaena leaf meal (LLM) and Acacia leaf meal (ALM) were evaluated as DE and TDN, DCP by indirect digestibility trials with using 9 rabbit bucks. Then two experiments were conducted to evaluate the incorporation of dietary Leuceana leucocephala (Leucaena leaf meal) and Acacia saligna (Acacia leaves meal) in the tested diets of doe rabbits and their offspring during suckling and growing periods.Forty does of six months were used for investigating the possibility of using LLM or ALM in their diets. Also, one hundred and twenty un-sexed weaned NZW rabbits were used for testing the performance, carcass characteristics and economical evaluation of the fattening trials. At the end of the fattening trials (starter & finisher periods), 72 rabbits were individually housed in metabolic cages to evaluate the effect of different levels of LLM or ALM on the nutrient digestibility of the starter and finisher diets. Twenty seven experimental diets were formulated for digestibility trials, productive and reproductive of does, and growth performance of the growing rabbits Results obtained seemed to justly the following conclusion:Leucaena leaf meal (LLM) and Acacia leaves meal (ALM) could be used up to 20% in pregnant and lactating rabbit does diets and for weaning rabbits up to 15 and 20% of starter and finisher diets without deleterious effect on their performance.