Geni Salete Pinto de Toledo’s research while affiliated with Federal University of Santa Maria and other places

This study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the use of sweet potato vines (SPV) in replacement of alfalfa hay in diets for growing rabbits. For this, data on: performance, composition and color of the meat, digestive enzymes, intestinal morphology and economic viability were analyzed. Fifty New Zealand White rabbits were used, weaned at 35 days with a body weight of ± 585 g, for 49 days. The animals were distributed into one of five dietary groups: 0SPV – control diet; 25SPV, 50SPV, 75SPV and 100SPV – diets with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% SPV in replacements for alfalfa hay respectively. The data were subjected to normality testing and analysis of variance, and compared using the Tukey test (p < 0.05). The results showed that the inclusion of BBD differed in the initial phase, causing a reduction in consumption, reflecting on the live weight of the animals in the 75SPV and 100SPV treatments. However, in the total experimental period there were no significant changes in daily feed consumption, mass gain and conversion. The SPV caused a decrease in chymotrypsin activity, but did not affect trypsin. However, villus height was lower in 50SPV than in other treatments. No differences were observed in the compositions and color of the muscle. Regarding economic viability, the increasing replacement of SPV linearly reduced costs, reaching 35% in the 100SPV experimental diet. It can be concluded, based on the data studied, that SPV can be used as a replacement for alfalfa hay up to 100% in diets for growing rabbits.

This study aimed to evaluate the costs of using banana peel (BP) and sweet potato vine (SPV) in rabbit diets. BP and SPV were chosen to replace maize and alfalfa hay, because, in addition to the ingredients having similar nutritional characteristics, they are among the most expensive ingredients in rabbit diets. Data were obtained through a biological assay carried out in the Cuniculture Laboratory of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Fifty New Zealand white rabbits, weaned at 35 days of age, were fed during the growth phase (35 to 84 days) with increasing levels of BP and SPV, replacing maize and alfalfa hay (T0, T25, T50, T75 and T100% replacement). A diet containing 100% replacement (T100) had the lowest cost per kilogram, which was R$1.18/kg, while the controlled diet was 57$ 2.08/kg. The total operating cost to produce a rabbit with control treatment was R$10.93/head and at T100, it was R$6.51/head. The animal income for a live rabbit was R$24.08 and R$ 23.95 in treatments T0 and T100, respectively. Regarding the gain margin per animal (GMA), in TO it was R$13.16 while in T100 it was R$ 17.44, therefore the GMA was 32.55% higher when using the T100 diet. In conclusion, it is more economical and feasible to feed rabbits with diets containing 100% BP and SPV, replacing maize and alfalfa hay.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of banana peel (BP) and sweet potato vines (SPV) as a replacement for maize and alfalfa hay in diets for rabbits. Animal performance, economic analyses, meat composition, and color were evaluated for 49 days in a total 50 New Zealand White rabbits weaned at 35 days with an average body mass of ± 614 g. The animals were allotted, in a completely randomized design, having five dietary groups: control diet (0), without banana peels and sweet potato vines, or experimental diets, 25, 50, 75, and 100—with 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of banana peels and sweet potato vines in substitution to maize and alfalfa hay, respectively. The data were analyzed using ANOVA, while the means were compared by Tukey test (p < 0.05). The results indicate that daily feed intake, mass gain, and feed conversion were not statistically different from one another in the test groups compared to the control group treatment. In addition, the study shows no differences were observed in centesimal compositions and muscle color. The replacement of maize and alfalfa hay by the combination of BP and SPV resulted in reduction in feed costs, reaching 50% in the experimental diet with 100% of substitution the ingredients. It can be concluded, based on the results on animal performance, meat/color composition, and economic analyses, that BP and SPV may be used as a substitute for maize and alfalfa hay up to 100% in diets for growing rabbits.

The objective of this work was to study the economic feasibility of using banana peel (BP) and sweet potato vines (SPV) as substitutes for maize and alfalfa hay in diets for rabbits. BP and SPV were chosen to replace maize and alfalfa hay, because in addition to the aforementioned ingredients having similar nutritional characteristics, they are among the most expensive ingredients in rabbit diets. Data were obtained through a biological assay carried out in the rabbit breeding laboratory of the Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Fifty New Zealand white rabbits, weaned at 35 days of age, were fed during the growth phase (35 to 84 days) with increasing levels of BP and SPV, replacing maize and alfalfa hay (T0, T25, T50, T75 and T100% replacement). A diet containing 100% replacement (T100) had the lowest cost per kilogram, which was R$1.18/kg, while the controlled diet was 73$ 2.08/kg. The total operating cost to produce a rabbit head with the control treatment was R$10.93/head and at T100, it was R$6.51/head. The animal income of the live rabbit was R$24.08 and R$ 23.95 in treatments T0 and T100, respectively. As for the gain margin per animal (GMA), in TO it was R$13.16 while in T100 it was R$ 17.44, therefore the GMA was 32.55% higher when using the T100 diet. In view of the above, it is concluded that it is more economical and feasible to feed rabbits with diets containing 100% BP and SPV, replacing maize and alfalfa hay.

This study aimed to evaluate the use of banana peel (BP) and sweet potato vines (SPV) as a replacement for maize and alfalfa hay in diets for rabbits. Animal performance, economic analyses, meat composition and color were evaluated for 49 days in a total 50 New Zealand White rabbits weaned at 35 days with average body mass of ±614g. The animals were allotted, in a completely randomized design, into five dietary groups: control diet (0) – without banana peels and sweet potato vines; or experimental diets: 25, 50, 75 and 100 – with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of banana peels and sweet potato vines in substitution to maize and alfalfa hay, respectively. Data were compared by ANOVA followed by Tukey test (p<0.05). Results indicate that daily feed intake, mass gain and feed conversion were similar. In addition, the study shows no differences were observed in centesimal compositions and muscle color. The replacement of maize and alfalfa hay by the combination of BP and SPV resulted in reduction in feed costs, reaching 50% in the experimental diet with 100% of substitution the ingredients. It can be concluded, based on the results on animal performance, meat/color composition and economic analyses that BP and SPV may be used as a substitute for maize and alfalfa hay up to 100% in diets for growing rabbits.

Diversos estudos apontam que no futuro, com a crescente população humana terá-se elevada carência de proteína animal. Como alternativa valiosa e viável, a cunicultura se destaca pela carne de alto valor biológico e baixa gordura. Além disso, o coelho possui características peculiares onde consegue aproveitar eficientemente a fibra da dieta. Assim, torna-se possível o fornecimento de resíduos de frutas, diminuindo a utilização de produtos que poderiam ser utilizados na alimentação humana. O Brasil, terceiro maior produtor de frutas no mundo, gera no processamento grande volume de resíduos que geralmente são descartados. A utilização dos mesmos na nutrição animal, no entanto, limita-se em decorrência da falta de conhecimento acerca de suas características nutricionais. Além disso, o aumento dos preços dos alimentos energéticos e proteicos para a alimentação animal elevou o custo de produção e reduziu a margem de lucro dos produtores. Consequentemente, resíduos agroindustriais tem recebido atenção especial, uma vez que apresentam baixo custo de aquisição, gerando renda e diminuindo o impacto ambiental. Neste sentido, pesquisas tem demostrado que a utilização destes resíduos, dentro dos níveis apropriados, pode substituir alimentos convencionais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi abordar de forma simples e esclarecedora, uma revisão da literatura disponível sobre os principais resíduos de frutas já fornecidos para a alimentação de coelhos.

In developing countries, agricultural areas are used to grow ingredients for rabbits’ nutrition instead of food for the human population. In this context, in places where people starve, it is unreasonable to use ingredients, such as maize, in rabbits’ diets. This research aimed to evaluate performance, meat composition and coloration, and economic viability in rabbits fed with diets containing banana peel (BP) in substitution to maize. Forty-five White New Zealand rabbits were used; they were weaned at 35 days old and divided into five treatments in a completely randomized design. The animals were fed with some of the following diets: control diet (0BP)—without banana peel; experimental diets: 25BP, 50BP, 75BP and 100BP—with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of banana peel in substitution to maize, respectively. Means were compared through analysis of variance, followed by Tukey test (0.05). Results indicate there were no differences in performance and meat parameters. Banana peel inclusion resulted in lower costs. Therefore, banana peel can replace maize up to 100% in diets for rabbits with no loss in performance and meat composition, representing a promising alternative in rabbits’ nutrition.