Nutritive value of robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia) leaves in growing Soviet Chinchilla rabbits.

Abstract

Far determining the nutritiva value of robinia (Robinia pseudoacacia) leaves, widely distributed in the temperate and humid Himalayan ranges (29°25N and 79º35E), containing OM 89.9; CP 20.7; EE 3.8; CF 21.7; NFE 43.7; NDF 60.1; ADF 29.6; Ca 2.4 and P 0.2 par cent on DM basis, ten Soviet Chinchilla rabbits of six week old (mean body weight 792+73 g) were fed freshly lopped green robinia leaves as a sale feed far 56 d. The green leaves were offered individually at 400g/rabbit/day. A metabolism trial of 6 day was conducted after 21 d of experimental feeding. The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE, NDF and ADF was 74.3; 77.4; 36.8; 73.2; 60.3 and 29.4%, respectively. The average intake of DM was 145.3g/d and 143.79/kg Wo,75, DCP 11.29/d and 11.1g/kg W^0.75 and DE 407.6 Kca1/d and 402.4Kca1/kg W^0.75, which could not only meet the maintenance requirement but also supported 10.4g daily body weight gain. The dry matter of robinia leaves contained a.o percent DCP and 2.81 kcal DE/g. Results suggest that robinia leaves may be usad as a sale feed far maintenance. This may also be usad far the development of production rations by supplementation of energy and if necessary proteinacious feeds.