Abstract 93

Raharjo,-YC; Cheeke,-PR; Tangendjaja,-B; Patton,-NM

OSU Rabbit Research Center, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA.

Journal-of-Applied-RabbitResearch. 1988, 11: 4, 257-263; 35 ref.

In experiment 1, 60 5-week-old Flemish Giant X New Zealand White rabbits were given diets containing 0, 40, 60, 80 or 92.5% rice bran for 5 weeks. In experiment 2, 72 rabbits were given for 5 weeks: (1) rice bran + salt; (2) rice bran + limestone + salt; (3) diet 2 + vitamin/mineral premix; (4) diet 3 + molasses; (5) diet 4 + lysine; and (6) diet 5 + methionine. Leucaena, cassava tops and elephant grass were also given. Feed intake, average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were similar in rabbits fed on 0, 40 or 60% rice bran; ADG was 25.7, 24.1 and 23.3 g and FCR 3.39, 3.12 and 3.26, respectively. At 80 and 92.5% rice bran, ADG was 14.8 and 10.3 g and FCR 4.01 and 5.40, respectively. Digestibility of gross energy, ether extract and acid and neutral detergent fibre increased with increasing rice bran intake. For crude protein, ash, calcium and phosphorus, digestibility values decreased with increasing rice bran. In experiment 2, supplementation with limestone and salt doubled ADG and efficiency of feed utilization. Vitamin/mineral premix or molasses did not affect growth, but together they increased growth. The best growth occurred in rabbits given diet 5 or 6; ADG was 18.7 and 20.9 g, respectively. Supplementation did not improve forage intake.