DefinePK

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine the effect of the inclusion of carrot leaf flour in concentrate in grass-based rations on carcass, cholesterol and intestinal pathogenic bacteria. This study used 120 local male rabbits aged 8 weeks, divided into four treatment groups and 6 replications. The four treatments were: rabbits fed a grass-based diet supplemented with concentrate without carrot leaf meal as a control (Group CLF0), concentrate with 10% carrot leaf meal (CLF1); concentrate with 20% carrot leaf flour (CLF2); and concentrate with 30% carrot leaf flour (CLF3). Concentrate was given as much as 40g/head/day, while grass was ad libitum. The results showed that slaughter weight, carcass, carcass percentage, carcass meat, carcass bone, and meat bone ratio (MBR) in the CLF2 and CLF3 rabbit groups were higher (P<0.05) than those in CLF0 group. Likewise, the villus height and crypt depth of the jejunum in Groups CLF2 and CLF3 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than the control group (CLF0). Giving 20 and 30% carrot leaf flour in concentrate significantly (P<0.05) reduced total blood cholesterol, total Escherichia coli and Coliform bacteria in the intestines of rabbits. It was concluded that the inclusion of 20-30% carrot leaf flour (Daucus carota) in the concentrate could increase the carcass percentage, the amount of carcass meat, and the meat bone ratio (MBR). On the other hand, it can reduce cholesterol and the number of pathogenic bacteria in the rabbit’s intestines.