Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Differently Processed Leucaena leucocephala Leaf Meal on Carcass Characteristics of Rabbits (Oryctolagus cunniculus)

摘要

The prices of feed sources from conventional protein have been on the increase creating inadequate supply of animal protein. Leucaena leucocephala can be used in diets to replace or in combination with protein source conventional feed ingredients. Its use has been limited to a very low level of inclusion because of inherent anti-nutritional factor (mimosine) which either by themselves or through their metabolic products interfere with feed utilization and affect the health and production of the animal. Effects of different processing methods were investigated in rabbits fed diets containing 40% level of Leucaena leucocephala inclusion. The leaves were collected and subjected to four different processing methods; air-drying (ADLL), soaking in fresh water for 36 hours at room temperature (FWLL), soaking in 60℃ hot water for 24 hours (HWLL) and fermentation of the leaves for 5 days before drying and milling. The result showed that there were significant (P<0.05) differences in the ability of the different processing methods in reducing the anti-nutritional factors in the leaves. Carcass yield and organ characteristics of the rabbits were also observed to show significant (P<0.05) differences in most of the parameters measured. It was concluded that soaking Leucaena leucocephala leaves in fresh water for 36 hours at room temperature, soaking the leaves in 60℃ hot water for 24 hours and fermentation of the leaves for 5 days were effective in reducing anti-nutritional factors in the leaves and were recommended for use at 40% inclusion in rabbit production.