THE INFLUENCE OF DRIED MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAVESIN FEEDING OF GROWING RABBITS 1- GROWTH PERFORMANCE,NUTRIENTS DIGESTIBILITY, NITROGEN UTILIZATION AND ECONOMICAL EFFICIENCY

A total of eighty New Zealand White (NZW) male rabbits of 6 weeks of age with an average initial body weight 885.75±42.4 g were used to study the effects offeeding Moringa oleifera leaves supplemented diets on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, dietary nitrogen utilization and economical efficiency. Rabbits were distributed into 4 groups of twenty rabbits each. The first group received basal diet (un-supplemented) which served as control diet (C) (0.0% Moringa), while 2, 4 and 6% of the dietary soybean meal protein in the basal diet were replaced by Moringa oleifera leaves protein (0.5., 1.00 and 1.5%) in groups M1, M2 and M3, respectively. The results showed that the incorporation of the different levels of dried Moringa leaves in growing rabbit diets resulted in significant increases in the digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, CF and NFE, while there was an insignificantly increments in CP digestibility in the experimental groups compared to the control group (C). The highest digestibility coefficients and feeding values in terms of TDN and DCP were significantly obtained in group fed diet M3, followed by those fed diet M2. All nitrogen utilization factors were significantly affected by the addition of dried Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) in the rabbit diets except the N-absorbed. The results, also showed that feeding Moringa diets significantly decreased fecal nitrogen (FN) by 11.98, 15.99 and 21.09%, respectively, and urinary nitrogen (UN) by 8.64, 10.92 and 23.28%, respectively, in groups fed M1, M2 and M3 diets, than those fed the control diet (C). The maximum N-balance (NB) value (g/h/day) was recorded for rabbits fed diets M2 and M3 with 20.51 and 27.35%, respectively, increments than those fed the control diet (C). The highest NB/NI% and NB/NA% were significantly obtained in group fed diet M3 with 37.03 and 27.98%, followed by those fed diet M2 with 24.33 and 17.14% increments, respectively, than those fed the control diet (C). Rabbits final body weight (12 weeks of age), daily weight gain and performance index were significantly (P<0.05 or 0.01) increased in groups fed Moringa supplemented diets and the highest values were obtained in group fed M3 diet, while the lowest values were obtained in rabbits fed the control diet. The rabbits fed M3 diet recorded significantly the highest daily feed intake (96.85 g/day), while the lowest value was recorded by those fed diet control diet (C) (85.43 g/day). Better feed conversion ratio was recorded in rabbits fed M3 diet (3.35 g. feed/g. gain). Meanwhile, the results showed that the inclusion of dried Moringa oleifera leaves in growing rabbit diets significantly (P≤0.05) decreased the values of feed conversion ratio and present 3.52, 3.42 and 3.35 in groups fed M1, M2 and M3 diets, respectively. Also, the results showed that feeding Moringaoleifera leaves supplemented diets significantly increased the performance index and relative growth rate% than those of the control group (C). The economical efficiency% and the relative economical efficiency% were increased by feeding Moringa diets (M1, M2 and M3) than those fed the control diet (C) and the increments were related to the increase of Moringa level in the rabbit diet. The highest economical efficiency% was recorded in group fed M3 diet (175.3%) followed by those fed M2 diet (169.4%) while the lowest economical efficiency% value was recorded in group fed the control diet (C) (152.9%).