Nutritonal Impact of Using Citronella (Cymbopogon Nardus) by-Product With or Without Enzymes Mixture Supplementation on Growth Performance of Growing Rabbits.

Growth performance, carcass traits, nutrient digestibility coefficients, some blood parameters and economical evaluation of APRI growing rabbits to diets containing graded levels of citronella by-product (CBP) as a replacement of clover hay was studied in the current study. A total number of 80 APRI growing rabbits, 6 weeks of age weighing 703 g±6.43. Rabbits were randomly distributed into 5 groups, each had 16 rabbits in 4 replicates 4 rabbits, each. The first group was fed the basal diet and served as a control group, the second and third groups were fed diet contained (20% CBP) and (40% CBP) citronella by-product in replacement of clover hay and represent 5.86% and 11.72% of the whole diets, respectively. The fourth and fifth groups were fed the same previous levels of CBP, but supplemented with enzymes mixture (Natuzyme fortified; E) at level of 0.35 g/kg diet and labeled (20% CBP+E) and (40% CBP+E), respectively. Enzymes mixture contains 6000 U cellulose, 11000 U xylanase, 1500 U phytase, 700 U β-mannase, 700 U α-amylase and 700 U protease/ g. The results reveal that the group of 40% CBP+E achieved significantly the highest final weight with 5.8% improvement over the control and the best FCR than those of the control group, which was a associated with an increase in nutrients’ digestibility coefficients’ of CP, NFE and CF%, as well as enhancing carcass% and dressing %. In addition, 40% CBP+E group, recorded the cheapest price for producing 1 kg of rabbit meat and the best economic efficiency. It could be concluded that inclusion of citronella (Cymbopogonnardus) by-product up to 11.72% plus enzymes mixture of the whole diet is effective in improving rabbit’s growth performance in economic way.