EFFECT OF USING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SOYBEAN OIL AND POULTRY FAT ON GROWING RABBIT PERFORMANCE.

Abstract

This work was carried out at a private farm in the pyramids area, Giza, Egypt, during winter season, 2001-2002. The present research was conducted to study the effect of using different levels( I or2%) 1 of soybean oil and poultry fat or both (1:1) to grO\ving rabbit rations by using a total number of 63 weaned, 6 weeks old New Zealand \\'hite x Cal ifornian h ybrid rabbits were divided into 7 experimental treatments up to 14 \;l,'eeks of age and this work included the following: digestion coefficients, nutritive value, nitrogen balance, performance (body weight - weight gain - feed consumption - feed conversion ), carcass characteristics, some blood constituents, mortality rate and economic efficiency. The results indicated that [ rabbits group fed ration containing 2.0% poultry fat (PF) was superior respecting for DM, OM, CP, CF, and NFE (the differences were significantly in most nutrients digestibilities), nutritive value as (TDN , SV, DE and ME), fat meat percentage, concentration of plasma total lipids and cholesterol and recorded the best feed conversion compared to the control group. While, the rati on contained 1% soybean oil (SBO) recorded the highest final live body weight (B\V), body weight gain (BWG), dressing percentage and the best economic efficiency estimated by 110.95% compared 1 to the control rati on. In concl usion, it coul d be concl uded that a level of 1.0% SBO in growing rabbit rations was the best with respect to performance of rabbits (bod y weight gain, feed conversion and economic efficiency).