Strawberry By-Products as a Partial Replacement of Clover Hay in Rabbit Diets

Total number of 60 male growing New Zealand rabbits was used to study the effect of dietary strawberry by-products (SBP) as a partial replacement at levels 25, 50, 75 and 100 % of clover hay. Rabbits were classified into five equal groups (G -G ) each contained 12 rabbits. The 1 group received the basal diet 15 st contained 24% clover hay and served as control diet. The other four groups (G -G ) received the basal diet with 25 replacement (SBP) at the level of 25, 50, 75 and 100% of clover hay, respectively. The chemical composition of (SBP) was superior in ether extract, nitrogen-free extract, gross energy, digestible energy, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and cellulose contents compared to clover hay. Clover hay contents of crude fiber, ash, non fibrous carbohydrates and hemicellulose were higher than (SBP). Rabbits received diet replaced (SBP) at the level 75% of clover hay (G ) recorded the highest digestibility coefficients of (OM, CP and CF) and nutritive 4 values as (TDN and DCP), while, replacement (SBP) at the level 25% of clover hay (G ) recorded the highest 2 digestibility coefficients of (EE and NFE). Replacement (SBP) at the levels 50, 75 and 100% of clover hay significantly (P 0.05) on feed intake and feed conversion. Rabbits received complete replacement (SBP) at the level 100% of clover hay (G5) increased final body weight (marketing weight), total body weight gain and average daily gain by 10.25, 13.78 and 13.79%, respectively. Rabbits received diet replaced (SBP) at the level 25% of clover hay (G ) recorded the lowest dry matter intake. The feed conversion 2 (g intake /g gain) of DM, CP, DCP, TDN and (Kcal intake /g gain) of DE were improved with replacement (SBP) at all levels used in rabbit diets. The best feed conversion was recorded when rabbits received basal diet with replacement (SBP) at the level 25% of clover hay (G ). Rabbits received diet complete replacement (SBP) at the 2 level 100% of clover hay (G ) recorded the highest value of liver weight and total giblets weight. With 5 increasing the rate of replacement (SBP) from zero to 100% of clover hay the total revenue, net revenue, economical efficiency and relative economic efficiency were increased. It can be maintained that strawberry by- products can be used as a good instead source of clover hay in rabbit diets without any adverse effect on their performance and can be used it economically in rabbit diets formulations.