Effect of dietary Thais coronata shell on odour reduction and nitrogen output in rabbit farm

Abstract

This work investigated the effect of integrated forage-concentrate diets with Thais coronata as additive on reducing odour and nitrogen output in rabbit production. Thais coronata shells were thoroughly washed, dried and ground to 2mm particle size. Forty-five growing rabbits were fed diets comprising 25% forage and 75% concentrate with 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75% or 1.0% ofthe shells for two weeks in a completely randomized design (CRD) experiment. The treatments were designated T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively with 9 rabbits per dietary treatment and replicated thrice with 3 rabbits per replicate. Faeces and urine were collected and odour perception scored by 10-member panel on a 5-point scale. The mean odour perception scores of T (urine =4.02, faeces=3.55) represented the 1 strongest (P< 0.05) degree of pungency while T (urine=3.05, faeces=2.76) gave the least 4 (P<0.05) pungent odour. Average total nitrogen yield from treatment 1 (2.93g/day) was significantly higher than those from treatments 3 (2.53g/day) and 4 (2.31g/day) but similar to those from treatments 2 (2.74g/day) and 5 (2.70g/day). Inclusion of T. coronata shell at 0.75% in a forage-concentrate (T4) diet of rabbit reduces odour in rabbit production and elicits the least yield of nitrogen.