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Effect of Graded Dietary Levels of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Seed Kernel Cake on Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Rabbits |
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P. Vasanthakumar, K. Sharma, V. R. B. Sastry, Sushil Kumar |
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| Abstract |
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Rabbits (48) of Soviet chinchilla (24) and White giant (24) were fed from 6 weeks to 12 weeks of age intensively on either of four isonitrogenous - isocaloric diets containing 0 (D1), 5(D2), 10(D3) and 20(D4) percent raw neem seed kernel cake (NSKC), respectively as per NRC (1977) requirements in a Randomized block design and slaughtered at the end to find out differences in their carcass traits due to NSKC feeding. Dietary treatment had no significant effect on weight of edibles and inedibles and their percentages and dressing percentage in terms of carcass, carcass with pluck and carcass with pluck and head. Similarly, the meat-bone ratio of various primal cuts and overall carcass, yield of edibles per unit of inedibles and eye muscle area were not influenced due to the dietary variations. Chemical composition of fresh meat, and organoleptic evaluation of cooked meat with and without salt did not vary significantly due to incorporation of NSKC in the diets. The rabbits fed 20% NSKC (D4) though consumed more (p<0.05) Dm and DE per kg meat production, the intake of crude protein and total digestible nutrients was similar with other dietary treatments. Feed cost per unit meat production was, however, lower on 5 and 10% NSKC containing diets by 7.75 and 12.56%, respectively, as compared to deoiled ground nut cake containing control diet. It appears that NSKC could be used as a wholesome vegetable protein supplement upto 10% in diet of rabbits without any adverse effect on commercial carcass traits. |
| Keywords:
Broiler Rabbits; Neem Seed Kernel Cake; Carcass Traits; Nutrient Intake |
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