Utilización de la harina de Leucaena leucocephala (LEUCAENA) en la alimentación de conejos neozelandés en la etapa de crecimiento – engorde

Abstract

The objective of this research was carried out to evaluate the use of Leucaena leucocephala (LEUCAENA) flour (5, 10 and 15 %), on feeding from New Zealand rabbits in the growing – fattening at Academic and Species Research Unit Minors at ESPOCH, in Riobamba canton. For this evaluation, 40 rabbits of 20 male and 20 female rabbits of 45 days of age and an average weight of 732,45 g, (E.E ± 0,43) distributed in a completely randomized design (DCA) with 2 factors combinatorial arrangement, with 5 replicates, were used. For the separation of means the Tukey test was used, the results of the bromatological analysis of leucaena flour reported a crude protein content (16,59 %), crude fat (2,23 %) nitrogen free extract (43,16 %) and crude fiber (23,75 %). Regarding the productive results by the inclusion of 10 % of leucaena flour, a final weight was reached (2298,4 g), weight gain (1564,8 g), an efficient feed conversion of 4.65; a weight to the carcass of (1402,65 g) and a yield to the carcass (61,03 %). According to the sex factor, a supremacy is observed in males relative to females. The highest profitability was obtained with (10 % leucaena flour), reaching a cost/benefit of 1,16 dollars, which means that for every dollar invested there is a return of 0,16 dollars. Therefore, the use of leucaena flour does not effect on productive behavior of rabbits. It is recommended to use the 10% leucaena flour in rations fed to rabbits in the growing - fattening stage.