Utilisation of Bovine Rumen Filtrate for Biodegradation of Sweet Orange Peel (Citrus sinensis) and Effect on Rabbit Performance

Özet

A feeding trial was conducted with four to six-week old rabbits (n=30) to determine their growth and nutrient digestibility on diets in order to evaluate the maize replacement value of sweet orange peel biodegraded with rumen filtrate. Rumen filtrate was obtained from the rumen content and liquor of four randomly selected slaughtered cattle, to which water was added in ratio 1:1, and filtrate manually squeezed out. Freshly collected sweet orange peel was divided to five batches of 5 kg each. Rumen filtrate was added to and mixed with one of 5 kg each in ratio 1:5, 2:5, 3:5, 4:5 and 5:5 and biodegraded for 24 hrs, sundried and milled. Each of replaced 50% maize in the control diet (T1) of rabbits to obtain diets T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6, respectively. Thirty mixed breed exotic rabbit of both sexes were randomly allocated to six diets of five rabbits each. Rabbits were fed ad libitum and provided adequate drinking water in a 77-day feeding trial. Growth indices and coefficient of digestibility of nutrients were determined. Experimental diets had no significant effect (p>0.05) on final live body weight, feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion and protein intake, but protein efficiency ratio differed significantly (p<0.05) with higher value of 2.10 in T5. Diets had varied significant effect (p<0.05) on the coefficients of digestibility of nutrients and improved crude protein digestibility. Bovine rumen filtrate can be used to treat sweet orange peel in a ratio of 4 litre rumen filtrate : 5kg for its biodegradation to improve its feed value, and as a replacement for dietary maize at 50% level in growing rabbit diet.