Forty eight New Zealand White weaned male rabbits (28 d of age) were classified into 4 groups (12/group). Four isonitrogenous, iso-energetic and isofibrous diets were formulated. The control diet was based on corn, soybean and straw. Guava waste (GW) was collected, dried and crushed as meal, then chemically analyzed. Three diets (D1, D2 and D3) were prepared to contain 20% dried GW meal. Diets D2 and D3 were supplemented by 1% of either a blend of organic acids or Mannan oligosaccharide (MOS), respectively. Diets and water were offered ad-libitum to rabbits and feed intake was recorded daily. Body weight change was recorded weekly and. Digestibility trial was carried out at 46 d of age by fecal collection for 4 successive days and followed by feed and feces analysis. The digestion coefficients were calculated for organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and non fiber carbohydrate (NFC). At 98 d of age, blood samples were collected after slaughter for hematology and carcass dressing measurements. Results revealed that GW was rich in crude fiber but its inclusion in the diet improved significantly (P
Key words: Guava waste, organic acids, rabbit, mannan oligosaccharide, growth, digestibility.
|
