A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF AZOLLA (Azolla pinnata) BASED DIET ON GROWTH AND CARCASS TRAITS OF NEWZEALAND WHITE RABBITS
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Date
2016-10
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SRI VENKATESWARA VETERINARY UNIVERSITY TIRUPATI - 517 502. (A.P.) INDIA
Abstract
ABSTRACT:
The present study was conducted on 24 Newzealand white rabbits of 30 days
old having similar body weights divided into three groups with 8 rabbits in each
group for a period of 90 days to study the effect of Azolla pinnata as a partial
replacement to conventional protein on growth performance and carcass traits and to
evaluate the cost economics. Azolla was included in the rabbit rations as protein
replacement at 0, 10 and 20 per cent levels in T1, T2 and T3 rations, respectively.
Dried azolla contained 91.50 per cent dry matter, 22.04 per cent crude protein, 2.70
per cent ether extract, 13.10 per cent crude fibre, 40.36 per cent nitrogen free extract
and 21.80 per cent total ash.
The study revealed that the mean daily feed consumption of rabbits fed with
rations T1, T2 and T3 was 52.28 ± 2.35, 53.14 ± 1.59 and 46.91 ± 1.24 g, respectively
with significantly (P<0.01) lower intake in T3 group while no significant difference
(P>0.01) was observed between T1 and T2 groups. The average weight gains were
999.75 ± 9.21, 1131.00 ± 8.85 and 673.62 ± 6.76 g in rabbits fed with T1, T2 and T3
rations, respectively and the difference between the groups was significant (P<0.01).
The average daily gain (ADG) in rabbits fed with T1, T2 and T3 rations were
11.09 ± 0.38, 12.54 ± 0.46 and 7.45 ± 0.65 g, respectively. The ADG in rabbits did
not show any significant (P>0.01) difference between T1 and T2 groups but was
significantly lower in rabbits of T3 group. It was evident that the feed conversion
ratio (FCR) was significantly high in T3 group (7.21 ± 0.66) when compared to the
other two groups of rabbits fed with T1 (4.84 ± 0.31) and T2 (4.34 ± 0.24) rations.
The FCR’s of rabbits fed with T1 and T2 rations did not differ significantly (P>0.01).
The carcass characteristics such as hot carcass weight, dressed carcass
weight, fore cut, mid cut, hind cut weights, pelt weight and head weight were found
to be significantly (P<0.01) higher in rabbits fed with T2 ration and followed by T1
and T3 groups. The dressing percentage was found to be more or less similar in
rabbits fed T1 (59.04 ± 0.01) and T2 (58.76 ± 0.06) rations but significantly lower in
rabbits fed with T3 (54.96 ± 0.18) ration.
The unit cost of fresh azolla and dried azolla produced was Rs.0.66 and
Rs.6.65, respectively. The cost of feed per day per rabbit was comparatively higher
in T1 group (Rs.1.12 ± 0.04) followed by T2 (Rs.1.08 ± 0.02) and T3 (Rs.0.88 ± 0.02)
groups. The livability was cent per cent in all the three groups. Cost per kg gain was
found to be lower in rabbits fed with T2 ration (Rs.86.94) than in rabbits fed with T1
(Rs.106.27) and T3 (Rs.119.67) rations. Thus, it can be concluded that use of azolla
meal up to 10 per cent in the rabbit rations found to improve growth performance
and beneficial in the way of reducing cost per kg gain and may be used in rabbits as
a safe level with no deleterious effects.
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