Complémentation de l’aliment commercial par du fourrage vert de Sulla (Hedysarum flexuosum) pour réduire les charges alimentaires d’élevages de lapins en engraissement

摘要

The objective of this trial is to investigate the possibility, in feeding fattening rabbits under real production conditions, to reduce feeding costs by supplementing the commercial pellet feed with local green forage Sulla flexuosa or Hedysarum flexuosum. In a growth trial, 80 rabbits of the local white population weaned at 35 days with an average live weight of 775 ± 400 g were divided into two equal and homogeneous lots (40 rabbits / lot). One (control) received ad libitum commercial pellet as the only food, while the second (experimental lot) received, in addition, green fodder from Sulla flexuosa (Hedysarum flexuosum) ad libitum. The fodder was harvested daily but distributed (on cages) the following day to reduce its very high moisture content at mowing. The mortality rates recorded in the two lots were similar (11.2%). The growth rate was significantly better in the experimental lot (29.1 vs g/d 25.7 g/d) with significantly lower amounts of concentrated feed. In addition, feed conversion ratio was better (p = 0.001) in the experimental lot than in the control one (2.68 and 3.45, respectively). Supplementation with Sulla flexuosa permitted to save 0.77 kg of concentrated feed for each kg of meat produced in the experimental group. In practice, it is recommended to the breeders who adopt this method of complementation with Sulla's green fodder to reduce the quantities of concentrated feed distributed.