Evaluation of feather meal in the diet of growing rabbits

TRIGO MARIA SOLEDAD; BORRÁS MARÍA MERCEDES; MURO MARÍA GABRIELA; LAMANA MARIA LAURA; ANTONINI ALICIA GRACIELA; COSSU MARÍA ELENA

El Cairo

Congreso; X World Rabbit Congress; 2012

World Rabbit Science Asociation

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an alternative protein source (MM=meat meal and FM=feather meal) and level (17 and 14% CP) on performance and carcass traits in rabbits. For the experiment, 128 New Zealand x Californian rabbits were used, being weaned at 28 days of age. The experimental design was a 2x2 factorial arrangement of two sources of animal protein: MM (meat meal as the control diet) and FM (hydrolyzed feather meal) and two levels of crude protein (CP: 17% and 14% as a control (being an alternative, lower protein requirement in the finishing period)). The digestibility of diets was evaluated based on 10 animals per treatment (between 49 and 56 days of age), using cages provided with individual faeces collectors. Performance traits recorded were daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, dry matter digestibility, feed cost per rabbit and feed cost per kg of meat produced. Forty animals (10 for each treatment) were slaughtered at 75 days of age, following standard procedures of slaughter. Data were analyzed by ANOVA. The protein level of diet significantly influenced feed intake, DM digestibility, weights at 55 days and at slaughter, rate of feed conversion, percentage of gastro-intestinal tract, weight of the stomach (full and empty), weight of the full caecum, hot carcass weight, and carcass yield. The source of protein significantly influenced actual and dry matter intake levels and feed cost per rabbit. Although the inclusion of FM did not generally affect performance traits, it did affect performance on the protein-restricted diets.