Effect of incorporating olive cake as a non-conventional feedstuff in diets of growing commercial rabbits
Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of incorporating olive cake as a cheap alternative feed suff in the main ration of growing rabbits at levels of 10 and 20% and its effect on their growth performance. A total of 27 weaned at 40 days white New-Zealand male rabbits were used and allotted randomly into 3 groups of 9 animals. Each group was divided into 3 replicates of 3 animal each. The initial average live body weight values were 865.23, 871.33 and 861.67g for the control, 10% and 20% olive cake groups, respectively. The experimental period lasted 8 weeks. The experimental rations were formulated to be iso-caloric and iso- nitrogenous. Results obtained that groups fed diets contained 10% and 20% olive cake gained more weight than the control one. However, the groups fed 10 and 20% olive cake consumed a little bit more feed than the control. No significant differences were found between the three groups in feed conversion ratio (4.41; 4.51 and 4.4 for the control, 10% and 20% olive cake groups, respectively). Carcass yield and liver weight were not significantly affected by olive cake. No significant differences were found between the control and other two tested groups in the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, CF, ash and NFE. Group fed 20% olive cake diet achieved the highest total edible parts (57.15%) followed by the group fed 10% olive cake (54.99%) and the control was the lowest (54.45%). Group fed 20% olive cake achieved the best economic efficiency followed by group fed 10% olive cake and the last was the control. It is worth to recommend the incorporation of olive cake up to 20% level of the diet of growing rabbits to sustain an acceptable weight gain and an acceptable economic return.
Keywords: olive cake, growing rabbits, digestibility, carcass.
Publication year 2001
Pages 861-868
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى - الجيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
Country Egypt
serial title Egyption Journal nutrition and feeds (2001) vol.4 (special issue):861-868
Volume 4 . special issue
Department Agricultural By-products Utilization Research Department
Author(s) from ARC
Agris Categories Animal feeding
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Byproducts. Carcass composition. Digestibility. Olives. Rabbits.
Publication Type Journal
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