Effect of roughage-based diet on growth performances of rabbit

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of roughage-based diet on growth, hematological and sero-biochemical profile and nutrient digestibilityof growing rabbit. There were three dietary treatment groups viz. traditional diet, 50% concentrate+50% roughage, 100% roughage treated as T0, T1 and T2, respectively.A total of forty-five (45) weaned crossbred New Zealand White growing rabbitswere distributed into three treatment groups each having three replications following Completely Randomized Design. From this study, it was found that weekly concentrate and DM intake was significantly influenced by 50% concentrate+50% roughage and 100% roughage diet though the FCR wasinsignificant. Final body weight, weeklybody weight and weight gain were notdiffered with roughage-baseddiet. The nutrient digestibility of DM, CP, CF, Ashand NFE was alsovaried significantly (P<0.05) among the treatment groups compared to the controlgroup except for EE.There was a significant difference existed in serological parameters (P<0.05) among the treatment groups. Our results indicate that rabbit can be reared feeding roughage although body weight gain waslittle decreased than the traditional diet and other concentrate groups.A little decreased body weight is less economic loss than feeding concentrate. So, it can be concluded that supplementation of aroughage-based diet can be used in the diet of growing rabbit.