García-Gómez, Ana M.

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    Evaluación de forrajes tropicales en dietas para conejos de engorde
    (2006) García-Gómez, Ana M.; Riquelme-Villagrán, Ernesto O.; College of Agricultural Sciences; Macchiavelli, Raúl E.; Latorre, José R.; Department of Animal Science; Muñoz, Carlos
    Two experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the productive performance of growing rabbits fed restricted commercial feed and supplemented with tropical forage hays. In the first experiment, Arachis pintoi Krap. and Greg. and Sorghum halepense (L) Pers. were evaluated. Thirty New Zealand White rabbits were distributed into two groups according to initial weight (heavy, 1500 g and light, 1100 g). Commercial feed was provided at a rate of 90 or 60 g d-1 to heavy and light animals, respectively. Within each group, the effects of supplementation with hays from forage peanut (M), Johnson grass (J), a mixture of both (JM-1) or a mixture of both but with commercial feed restricted to 50 g d-1 (JM-2). Control groups (T) were also included and only received commercial feed. All hays were supplied ad libitum. The results, after 28 days, indicated that animals in the control groups had a better daily weight gain and feed conversion (P<0.05), and a lower feeding cost than the animals on all other treatments. Johnson grass hay had lower acceptability than forage peanut hay. The light animals showed a better response than the heavy ones, which was atributed to the higher maintenance requirements of the latter group. In the second experiment, thirty-two New Zealand White rabbits averaging 1050 g, were used. The animals received commercial feed at a rate of 6 % of their body weight (weekly adjusted) or restricted (25%) and supplemented with hays from Panicum maximum (GN), Arachis glabrata (M), Gliricidia sepium (GL), Brachiaria spp. (BQ), or a mixture of A. glabrata and P. maximum hays (PM). After 63 days of feeding, there were no significant differences (P>0.05) in daily weight gain among animals. Hay intake was higher in animals of GL, GM and M treatment groups and legume hays were better accepted than grass hays. There were no significant differences in feed conversion among animals, which suggest an efficient utilization of the hays when included at 25 % of the total dry matter. Feeding costs per unit of gain was higher for the control group, showing the economic advantage of restricting commercial feed allowance and supplementing with hays from local forages. There were no differences in dressing percentage or in the relative weight of the intestinal tracts among animals in all treatments. Histological observations of the duodenal epithelium showed signs of mucous secretion, and a shortening and decreased density of villi in animals receiving J and JM-2 diets (experiment 1). There were no changes in the morphology of the duodenal epithelium of animals receiving the rest of the diets. It is concluded that A. pintoi, A. glabrata, and G. sepium hays can be used in growing rabbit feeding with equal productive performance and improved economic results. The low acceptability of Johnson grass hay limits its utilization.