Effect of feeding extruded hatchery waste on the performance of Soviet Chinchilla rabbits.

Abstract

Seventy five, Soviet Chinchilla 6 week-old rabbits just weaned were divided into 5 treatments, R1 , R2, R3, R4 and R5. Each group was further divided into 5 replications of 3 rabbits raised in the same cages and fed with extruded hatchery waste mixed with soja meal (40:60) at 0, 1.5, 3.0, 4.5 or 6% level replacing fish meal from rabbits diet at 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% level. The body wt. gains were 978, 998, 1030, 899 and 908 g in R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 treatments, respectively indicating no statistical difference. The FCR and PER values were 3 .79, 3.64, 3.53, 3.71 and 3.46 and 1.641, 1.712,1 .764, 1.674 and 1.798 in R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 treatments, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the carcass traits between the treatments. The cost of producing I kg live wt. gain was lowest (Rs, 14.39) in R5 and highest in R1 (Rs.16.47) indicating the EHWM incorporation in rabbits diet totally replacing the fish meal is most economical.