Nutritional value for rabbits of olive pulp and the effects on their visceral organs

Abstract

New Zealand White rabbits, aged between 5 and 8 weeks, were fed ad libitum on a diet containing 0, 10, 20 or 30% olive pulp. Weight gain and food intake were increased significantly by the inclusion of 30% olive pulp in the diets. However, increasing levels of olive pulp in the diets decreased the efficiency of food conversion. Digestibility of crude protein, neutral and acid detergent fiber, crude fiber and calcium were reduced on the 30% olive pulp diet. Carcass yield and liver weight were not affected by olive pulp, but the rabbits fed on the 20 or 30% olive pulp diets showed significant differences in kidney weight. A decrease in the size of the small intestine and ascending colon and rectum resulted when olive pulp was included in the diet. It should be possible to formulate diets for rabbits containing 10–30% olive pulp which would sustain an acceptable weight gain. However, the decrease in feed efficiency may be limiting in practical conditions.