Bulletin of the National Research Centre (May 2019)
Effect of feeding rabbits on fungal treated corn stalks on carcass characteristics and meat composition
Abstract
Abstract Background Corn stalk as low quality roughage is high in lignocellulytic materials and low in readily available carbohydrates and nitrogen as well as several minerals. Intake and utilization of it can be increase by applying some treatments; physical, chemical, and biological methods, biological method shows the most effective method. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing clover hay (it is high quality roughage in Egypt and high price) by fungal treated corn stalks with Trichoderma ressei on carcass characteristics and meat analysis of rabbits. Forty-two weaned New Zealand white rabbits were divided to two groups. The first group (24 rabbits) was divided into 4 subgroups (6 each), and were fed diets contained 0% corn stalks (control), 33, 66, and 100% treated corn stalks with media only (without Trichoderma ressei). The second group (18 rabbits) was divided into 3 subgroups (6 each), and were fed diets contained 33, 66, and 100% fungal treated corn stalks with Trichoderma ressei as replaced of clover hay (11, 22, and 33% of whole), each group was divided into 3 replicates (2 each). At the end of the trial, 3 rabbits from each group were slaughtered to derermine carcass characteristics and chemical composition of meat. Results There were no significant differences in values of dressing percentages either between treatments or levels. Also, the interaction between treatments and levels were no significant. Feeding fungal treated corn stalks did not significant effect on dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE), while significant(P < 0.05) increased ash content compared with without Trichoderma reesei. And feeding 100% corn stalks recorded (P < 0.05) the highest value compared with levels 33 and 66%. The interaction between treatments and levels on CP, EE, and ash was significant, the results pointed that fed level of 66% treated corn stalks was significant (P < 0.05) increased CP content compared with 66% without Trichoderma reesei. Also fed level of 100% treated corn stalks was recorded (P < 0.05) the highest value of ash content compared with level of 66% treated CS and with levels of 33, 66, and 100% without Trichoderma reesei, respectively. While fed treated corn stalks at 66% significant (P < 0.05) decreased EE content compared with feeding level of 66% without Trichoderma reesei. But, there were no significant difference in DM content. It could be concluded that treated corn stalks with fungi could be used without any adverse effects and enhance carcass characteristics and chemical composition of rabbits meat.
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