EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTARY WITH ALFALFA HAY COLLECTED IN DIFFERENT MATURE STAGES ON THE PERFORMANCE OF RABBITS

A feeding trial for investigating the optimal harvest time of alfalfa was conducted with 120hybrid rabbits divided into four groups. Animals were supplemented with grass hay, early maturestage (10% bloom) alfalfa hay, mid mature stage (50% bloom) alfalfa hay and full bloom maturestage alfalfa hay respectively on the basis of same concentrate fed ad libitum, housed in cages ofthree layers individually with clean and fresh water through automatic waterer. Per cage feedintake and health condition were monitored daily and weight gain was measured weekly duringgrowing period (33~54d) and fattening period (55~82d). The results showed that in the wholeperiod all groups had no statistical differences in average daily weight gain and live weight atslaughtering age. Alfalfa groups decreased more concentrate feed intake than grass group(p<0.01), with full bloom alfalfa hay having the most effect up to 20% and 6% during growingand fattening period respectively (p<0.01). Although there were no differences in the feedconversion efficiencies for all groups throughout experimental period, the concentrateconversion efficiencies in experimental groups were significantly higher than in the controlgroup. Among alfalfa hay groups, there were no significant differences in average daily gain,concentrate intake, but morbidity of full bloom alfalfa hay treatment reduced (p<0.05). Inconclusion, it is suggested that alfalfa should be harvested at full bloom mature stage to makehay for rabbits.