Potential of hydroponic barley in rabbit diets: effect on productive performance, nutrient digestibility, microbiological and physiological responses

Abstract

Application of agriculture hydroponic technology with a view to reduce the gap between the animal nutritional requirements and availability of feed ingredients create an important role in animal and rabbit production. Hydroponic fodder production such as barley is an alternative technology to cultivate fodder which provide the growing nutrients requirement for livestock feed with suitable prices, high quantity, a short growth period, a small land for production, a clean environment, water efficiently and reduces cultivate fodder resources. This study was investigated with view to give an overview on the possible role of hydroponic barley (HB) as a feed replacement in rabbit ration. Various scientific published research articles were used HB as a feed replacement in rabbit ration. The most observed and analyzed productive and reproductive performance, nutrient digestibility and physiological responses. Positive effect of feeding HB was observed on serum metabolic profile and microbial count of caecum of rabbits. However, the economics and nutritive values of hydroponic production system should be carefully estimated. This review provides an overview of and illustrates the positive effects of HB as a feed replacement in rabbit diets and their potential effects on productive performance, economic return, nutrient digestibility, microbiology and gut health of growing rabbits.