EFFECT OF SUBSTITUTION OF BARLEY GRAINS BY DISCARDED DATES ON REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF NEW ZEALAND WHITE RABBIT DOES

Abstract

The study was designed to investigate the reproductive performance of rabbit does fed different levels of discarded dates. The discarded dates were gathered, sun-dried and ground by hammer mill for proximate analysis and feed formulation. Four experimental diets were formulated to supply 18% crude protein and 2500 Kcal DE/kg. First diet was control, while discarded dates replaced barely grains at 25, 50, and 75% for the other three diets. A total number of 20 New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit does about 5 months of age, weighing about 2.827 ± 20.10kg were randomly distributed into 4 experimental treatments (5 does/ treatment). Productive performance, blood constituents, thyroid activity, progesterone hormone assay and economic of efficiency were measured. Results indicated that: The gestation length, total feed intake, daily feed intake, mating weight, gestation and suckling weight, change in weight during gestation and suckling periods and total milk yield were not significantly affected (P≤ 0.05) by different treatments. The Litter weight at birth and kid weight at weaning were significantly increased (P≤0.05) for rabbits fed diets with 25% discarded dates as well as litter weight at weaning and kid weight at birth were significantly increased (P≤0.05) with rabbits fed diets containing 25 and 50% discarded dates. The catalase activity was significantly increased with rabbits fed diets containing discarded dates at levels 50 and 75%. Also, there were significantly decrease of glucose and lipid peroxides with rabbits fed diets containing discarded dates at 75% compared to those fed control diets. Progesterone hormone was significantly increased for rabbits fed diets with 25% discarded dates. Moreover, total trioiodothyronine values (T3) were significantly increased with rabbits fed diets containing 25 and 50% discarded dates compared with control group. However, total thyroxin (T4) was not affected by different treatments. The groups fed the diets with 75% discarded dates achieved the highest economical efficiency followed by those fed diet contained 50% discarded dates. It was therefore concluded that discarded dates as source of energy could replace 75% of barely grains in the diets of rabbit does without adverse effect on their reproductive performance.