Effects of replacement of alfalfa by big-leaf mulberry on growth performance, digestion and meat quality in growing rabbits

• Main Authors: Zhuang Xue Wu, Long Pei Yang, Hua Xiu Gao, Guo Zhi Wen, Fa Si Dai, Xia Ming Zhu, Xin Li Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universitat Politècnica de València 2019-12-01
• Series: World Rabbit Science
• Subjects: big-leaf mulberry; digestibility; growth performance; meat quality; rabbit
• Online Access: https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/wrs/article/view/11529
• ISSN: 1257-5011; 1989-8886

This study aimed to investigate the effect of sundried big-leaf mulberry (BLM) as a replacement for alfalfa on the growth performance, digestibility of nutrients, nitrogen (N) utilisation and meat quality in New Zealand White rabbits. One hundred and sixty weaned rabbits, aged 35±1 d and with a body weight of 755±26 g, were randomly assigned to the 4 treatments with 20 replicates of 2 rabbits (1 male and 1 female) each. Animal performance was evaluated between the 35th and 77th d of age in 40 animals per treatment. The coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients and N utilisation were measured between 77 to 83 d of age in 30 animals per treatment. The control rabbits were fed a corn-soybean meal-alfalfa meal based diet. The three experimental groups were fed a similar diet in which the alfalfa meal was replaced by 10% (BLM10), 20% (BLM20), or 30% (BLM30) BLM. The final body weights and average daily gain were higher (P<0.05) in BLM20 rabbits compared to control and BLM30 rabbits. Although BLM inclusion had no effects on the CTTAD of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein (P>0.10), the CTTAD of ether extract was higher in rabbits fed the diets based on BLM (P<0.05). No effect of treatment was noted on ingested and faecal N. Urinary (P<0.05) and retained N (P<0.10) were higher in animals fed with BLM30 and BLM20 diets, respectively. Dietary BLM supplementation increased a* (P<0.05) and tended to reduce L* (P<0.10) in rabbit meat samples. It was concluded that replacing alfalfa meal with BLM (20%) can promote growth and increase ether extract digestibility. Additionally, dietary BLM supplementation can increase the redness value of meat.