Feeding rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus ) with tree fruits from tropical deciduous forest

Abstract

The dietary preference and voluntary intake of fruits from Acacia cochliacantha, Caesalpinia cacalaco, Vachellia pennatula, Chloroleucon mangense, Senna atomaria and Guazuma ulmifolia [containing 8.5-13.6% crude protein (CP) and 25.9-72.9% neutral detergent fibre (NDF) on dry matter (DM) basis], and the partial replacement of a commercial diet with 0, 15, 30 and 45% G. ulmifolia fruit were studied in rabbits. Rabbits fed a standard diet (17.9% CP and 28.4% NDF) were used to study their preference (during 20-min periods) for 6 ground fruits (Experiment 1: 12 rabbits, from 45 to 56 d of age and 1180±114 g live weight [LW]), 6 pelleted fruits (Experiment 2: same rabbits from 57 to 68 d of age), and the voluntary intake of the 5 most preferred pelleted fruits (Experiment 3: 18 rabbits from 70 to 81 d of age and 2200±200 g LW). Then, we examined the inclusion of G. ulmifolia fruit up to 45% in the diet (Experiment 4: 12 rabbits/diet from 25 to 66 d of age, and 419±80 g initial LW). When ground fruits were offered, rabbits tended to prefer C. mangense (0.83±0.12 g DM; P0.05) and in all groups fed G. ulmifolia in the 25-66 d period (P<0.001). Guazuma ulmifolia appears to have the greatest potential as a supplementary feed for rabbits in the pelleted form. Its inclusion up to 15% in the diet might render a similar performance to that of rabbits fed commercial diets