Utilization of vegetable wastes as rabbit feed to reduce pollution
 

Raksina  Timkhlai, Choke  Mikled,  Supharoek  Nakkitset *, Wichit Sonloi*  and Kanitta Tikam**

 Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200
^*The Royal Project Foundation, Livestock Extension and Development Section, 65 Moo 1 Suthep Road, Maung, Chiangmai 50200 
^** Institute of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bonn, Germany

Abstract

In the upland areas under the Royal Project Foundation the farmers have been cultivated various kind of vegetables. However, it has been found out that the most important problems followed is the environmental pollution of more than 80% from vegetable waste. Therefore, the utilization of the vegetable waste as a source of feed for livestock might be one way to reduce and solve such problems. Accordingly, the objectives of this studies were to determine the utilization of 3 foliages : Cabbage residue (CB),    Head Lettuce residue (Let) and Napier grass (Na) and 4 feed supplement : Commercial feed (Conc.), Protein block I (PBI), Protein block II (PBII) and Paddy rice (PR) in growing rabbits. The 60 crossbred (New Zealand White x Native breed) aged between 6 – 7 weeks were used as experimental animals. The experiment was 3 x 4 factorial designs with 2 factors, foliage and concentrate with 5 replications. The rabbits were randomly allocated into 12 treatments there were CB + Conc., CB + PBI, CB + PBII, CB + PR, Let + Conc., Let + PBI, Let + PBII, Let + PR, Na + Conc., Na + PBI, Na + PBII and Na + PR. The experiment lasted for 15 weeks. The results showed that the rabbits fed with Head lettuce residue had significantly higher final weight and average daily gain (ADG) than the rabbits fed Napier grass (2,493 ± 4.19 and 2,086 ± 150g and 17.1 ± 0.51 and 13.1 ± 1.37g, respectively) (P<0.01). The rabbits fed with Head lettuce residue had significant lower FCR than the Cabbage residue group (3.25 ± 0.36 and 4.14 ± 0.77, respectively) (P<0.05). The rabbits fed PBII as a feed supplement had significant higher final weight and average daily gain (ADG) than the PR group (2,426 ± 133 and 2,196 ± 282 g and 16.3 ± 1.82 and 14.4 ± 2.72 g, respectively) (P<0.05). The rabbits fed Conc. had significant lower FCR than the PB I and PB II group (3.18 ± 0.28, 4.09 ± 1.12 and 4.02 ± 0.27, respectively) (P<0.05). In conclusion the Cabbage and Head lettuce residue can be used as roughages to improve the growth performance. For the feed supplement the commercial feed could be replaced by the Protein block to improve the growth performance of growing rabbits.

Keywords: Growing rabbits, Protein block, Cabbage residue, Head lettuce residue.