Evaluation of Cactus (Opuntia Sp.) as Forage Source for Growing Rabbits in the Gaza Strip

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate Cactus Opuntia cladodes (COC) as partial food on the growth performance, organs and carcass weights of growing rabbits under small scale growth conditions. Material and Methods: The study design was a case control. The experiment was carried out on the local weaned rabbits (n=48), aged 35-40 days and average initial live weights was about 550 g . The period of study was 8 weeks. The rabbits was classified randomly to four different groups. One was a control group and the others were case groups. The control group (C) was fed ad libitum on only high protein rabbit pellets which is commercially called Anber (RPA). Case groups were labeled trial 1(T1), trail (T2), and trial (T3) that fed ad-libitum COC and 80 %, 60 % and 40 % RPA, respectively. The actual nutrient contents in the two feeds were examined inAL-AzharUniversity food analysis labs. SPSS system was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: COC feed was found to be poor in crude proteins compared to RPA. Dry matter values for RPA and COC were 86.4 % and 16.0 %, respectively. COC have lower crude fibers, fats, nitrogen free extract than RPA. The growth rates of the growing rabbits were 26.31, 21.20, 18.56, and 10.64 g/day for C, T1, T2, and T3 trials, respectively. Feed conversion ratios based on RPA consumption were 3.33, 3.01, 2.85, and 3.25, for C, T1, T2, and T3 trials, respectively. Mortality rate were 8.3%, 25%, 25% and 16.7%, for C, T1, T2, and T3 trials, respectively. Partial COC feed decreased average weights of internal body fat tissues and some organs of the domestic rabbits. In contrast, 40 % RPA diet and ad libitum COC feed increased average liver weights of the rabbits. Conclusion: COC as available and very low cost feed can be used as a partial feed of the RPA diet to maintain domestic rabbits growth under unavoidable economical and/or political conditions.