The effects of the complete replacement of barley and soybean meal with hard wheat by-products on diet digestibility, growth and slaughter traits of a local Algerian rabbit population.

Abstract

Eighty one rabbits were used to study the utilisation of hard wheat by-products on the growth of rabbits from a local Algerian population. At weaning (28 d, 501±99 g), the animals were individually caged and received ad libitum one of the three experimental diets for 49 d. The control diet included 26% wheat bran (W26: control diet), alfalfa, barley and soybean meal. The two other diets were formulated by substituting barley and soybean meal with hard wheat by-products, and contained 60% (W60) or 67% (W67) of these by-products (50 or 57% bran and 10% middling). On average, diets contained 11.8% crude fi bre and crude protein decreased from 18.3 (W26) to 16.1% (W67). Growth traits and slaughter performances were recorded. Another group of thirty animals was used to determine dietary nutrient digestibility from 42 to 46 d of age. Dry matter digestibility and digestible energy content were lower in the W60 and W67 diets than in the control diet (W26) (71.3 and 71.5% vs. 74.9%, and 11.9 and 11.9 vs. 12.5 MJ/kg, respectively; P<0.01). In contrast, crude fi bre digestibility was lower in W26 (21.9%) than in the other two diets (29.6 and 32.2% for W60 and W67, respectively; P<0.01). The growth rates were similar for all three groups (28.0, 27.1 and 26.0 g/d for W26, W60 and W67) as were the feed conversion ratios (3.14, 3.17 and 3.10, respectively). Dressing out percentage (66.4±2.0% on average for the cold carcass) was not affected by the amount of wheat by-products in the diet. The total mortality rate was high (23%), probably corresponding to the low crude fi bre content of the three experimental diets, but was not connected to the amount of wheat by-products.

The effect of substitution of soybean meal with a mixture of rapeseed meal, white lupin grain, and pea grain on performance indicators, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen retention in Popielno White rabbits

“…In certain studies the level was slightly higher; for example, in a study by Lakabi-Ioualitene et al (2008), it ranged from 71 to 76%; in a study by Strychalski, Juśkiewicz et al (2014), from 78 to 83%; while in a study by Gugołek et al (2015), from 80 to 84%. A slightly lower level of digestibility was noted by Volek and Marounek (2009) -from 66 to 69%, and by Volek et al (2013).…”

“…For testing, typical meat breeds or synthetic lines are most often used. Local breeds with a lower growth rate are used less frequently (AbdelGhany et al 2000;Bielański et al 2008;Lakabi-Ioualitene et al 2008;Kowalska & Bielański 2011;Lounaouci-Ouyed et al 2014;Paci et al 2014). These breeds are most often used in experiments on the extensive breeding and feeding systems.…”

Effects of substitution of soybean meal-alfalfa-maize by a combination of field bean or pea with hard wheat bran on digestion and growth performance in rabbits in Algeria

“…The review of Lebas (2004) and previous works (Berchiche et al, 2000;Lakabi et al, 2008;Lounaouci et al, 2011b) from our laboratory have demonstrated that this fibrous by-product can be used up to 40-50%. The study of Lounaouci et al (2012) also showed that the incorporation of hard wheat bran up to a rate of 45%, in a growing rabbit's diet without soybean meal, did not impair growth and slaughter performances.…”

Replacement of barley grains and dehydrated alfalfa by Sulla Hay (<i>Hedysarum flexuosum</i>) and common reed leaves (<i>Phragmites australis</i>) in fattening rabbits diet

“…protéines n'affecte pas la croissance, mais peut favoriser l'apparition de diarrhée, ce qui n'a pas été le cas dans cet essai. Les indices de consommation enregistrés sont en deçà des normes dans les deux lots même si celui enregistré dans le lot témoin est conforme à ce que l'on a l'habitude de trouver dans les mêmes conditions [1,13,15]. Cependant, l'aliment RS est le moins efficacement transformé [17].…”