EFFECT OF FEEDINGWATER HYACINTH ON CARCASS TRAITS AND SOME BLOOD COMPONENTS OF RABBITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Banha University, Egypt.

2 Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Egypt.

Abstract

This experiment was carried out at a private rabbit farm under supervision of Benha University Animal Feed Professors, duration time from May to July 2014 on 48 New Zealand White young male rabbits at 6 weeks of age and 696 grams average live body weight. Rabbits were divided into four groups (each group contains 12 NZW rabbits,with three replicates) for the 8 weeks feeding period to investigate the effect of feeding different levels (0, 25, 50 and 75% from Egyptian clover) of sun dried water hyacinth on carcass traits and some blood components. The results showed no significant differences between means of live condition scores, carcass weight and dressing percentage due to the feeding groups effect, carcass cuts and offals weight were not significant except for the fur and legs weight (P<0.05). Chemical analysis of meat showed no significant differences between feeding rabbits groupsexcept for the ash% (P<0.001). Blood components of feeding rabbits exhibited significant differences (P<0.001) for plasma albumin, globulin and total lipids.Present results conclude that, dried water hyacinth leaves and stems may be used as a feed for rabbits to replace 50% of clover hay in concentrate feed mixture without negative effects on carcass and blood components of growing rabbits

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