Utilization of tropical forages and alfalfa meal by rabbits

Abstract

The productivep erformanceo f rabbitsw as evaluatedo n diets of alfalfa meal and tropical forages. The results showed that rabbits can utilize high forage diets wlth little or no cereal grain. Several tropical legumes (Desmodiumd istortum,Macroptilium lathyroides, Clitoria ternata and Cassra tora) have the same feeding value for weanling rabbits as alfalfa meal. Rabbits have potential as meat producing animals when fed high roughage diets under tropical and subtropical conditions.

Die produksieprestasivea n konynei s ondersoeko p rantsoene van lusernmeeel n tropiesev @rgewasseD. ie resultateh et getoon dat konyne ho6 vesel dl€te met min bf geen graanmeel kan benut. V erskeiet ropiesep eulplante (Desmodium distortum Macroptilium lathyroides Clitoria temata en Cassia tora)w as gelykstaandea an lusernmeewl at voedingswaardvei r gespeendek onyneb etref.K onyneh et potensiaaal s vleisproduserenddeie rew at hoe ruvoerd ieteg evoerk an word ondert ropigsee n subtropieseto estande.

Keywords: Rabbits, tropical forages, alfalfa meal