Author : Christina Maria Sri Lestari

Summary : This study was performed to determine the growth performance and carcass quality of crossbred rabbits fed with concentrates at different levels of energy. Sixty 10 week-old crossbred rabbits with initial body weights ranging from 751 to 1,650 grams were used in this experiment. They were grouped into six replicates based on the initial body weight. Concentrate diets with five different metabolizable energy (ME) levels were given for 10 weeks. In addition to the concentrates, each rabbit was also fed 200 grams elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) daily. Results indicated that increasing ME levels in the concentrate diets did not significantly influenced the total body weight gain and average daily gain of crossbred rabbits (P>.05). Daily concentrate consumption was also not affected by the ME levels (P>.05), but the daily total feed consumption decreased by increasing the ME levels (P<.05). However, the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) in first recording was the highest compared with other recordings throughout feeding program (P<.05). The increasing ME levels in the concentrate diets tended to diminish the carcass yield or dressing percentage (P<.05). On the other hand the giblet (heart, liver, kidney) weight increased (P>.05). Meat to bone ratio of crossbred rabbits was not affected by the ME levels in the diets (P>.05).