Abstract of research

PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING RABBITS FED DIET CONTAINING DIFFERENT LEVELSOF TOMATO POMACE

Elazab, M.A.a,*, Zahran, S.M.b, Ahmed, M.H.b, Elkomi, A.E.a

Abstract

The current work was conducted to study the effect of implementing different levels of dry tomato pomace (DTP) on performance of growing rabbits. Thirty six New Zealand White growing rabbits, seven weeks old with 762.50 g average live body weight, were randomly distributed to four treated groups, each one received a diet containing DTP of 0, 10, 15 or 20% for eight weeks experimental period. From the present results, there was no significant difference in digestibility coefficients of the DM, OM, CP, EE and NFE as well as in the feed conversion, TDN and DCP between the different feeding groups. The total and daily weight gains seemed to be significantly higher for rabbits on 15% DTP when compared to those of 10 and 20% DTP, but they did not differ from the control group. The highest growth rate came with rabbits on the 15% DTP followed by the control, then by the 10% DTP, while the lowest growth rate came with rabbits on the 20% DTP level. All carcass traits as well as moisture, crude protein, ash and fats content in meat carcasses did not differ significantly between rabbits on the different feeding diets. There was a non-significant difference in blood physical (Hb, PCV, RBC and WBC counts) and chemical (total proteins, albumin, total lipids and Ca++) criteria of the DTP-treated groups when compared to those of the control group. While plasma cholesterol steadily increased, there was a gradual decrease in the AST and ALT enzymatic activities by increasing the DTP level from 10 to 20%. The highest net revenue came with the 15% DTP dependent diet comparing to that with the other feeding and control groups. In conclusion, DTP can be substituted in the diets of rabbits up to 20% without any adverse effect on the performance or carcass traits.