Feeding Sugar beet tops to Rabbits

[michaels4gardens]

Research Article
Efficiency of Utilization of Sugar Beet Tops Hay and Prebiotic in Diets of Growing Rabbits
Hayam M.A. Abo EL-Maaty, Sara Kh. Sherif and Lina S.A. Foda


ABSTRACT
________________________________________
Background: The challenge for the feed formulation is to obtain the least cost diets that fully match the animal requirements. In Egypt, large amounts of sugar beet tops are produced. Using such an agricultural by-product as a feed ingredient for fattening rabbits can participate in solving the problem of feedstuffs’ shortage and reduce the environmental pollution. Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment (3×2) was carried out to investigate the potential of including Sugar Beet Tops (SBT) in diets of growing New Zealand white rabbits at three levels (0.0, 20 and 30%) as a substitute for alfalfa hay in presence (1.0 g kg–1) or absence of a prebiotic. Fifty four rabbits were randomly distributed to six groups, each with three replications. Six experimental diets were formulated and fed to rabbits from 6-12 weeks of age. All rabbits were reared under similar hygienic and managerial conditions. The response of rabbits was evaluated as growth performance, carcass characteristics and blood plasma constituents. Results: Replacing dietary alfalfa hay with SBT produced positive effects on growth performance of rabbits although feed intake was higher than that of the control group, irrespective of the added prebiotic. Similarly, rabbits fed the prebiotic-supplemented diets displayed superior growth performance to that of the control group. Apart from prebiotic addition, feeding the SBT-diets significantly increased Carcass Yield (CY) and Total Edible Parts (TEP) but reduced the Abdominal Fat (AF) of rabbits. Dietary prebiotic supplementation caused positive effects on the percentages of CY, TEP and AF weight of rabbits. Neither dietary SBT level nor added probiotic adversely affected the blood plasma constituents measured herein. Dietary SBT level by added prebiotic interactions were not significant for all criteria measured. Conclusion: It is concluded that SBT can completely replace alfalfa hay in growing rabbits’ diets with better performance and carcass traits, prebiotic performs further improvements in rabbit growth, feed conversion and dressing-out percentage.

[the rest of the story]
https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ajava.2017.71.79

 

[dfr1973]

This has me wondering about the beet pulp cubes and pellets sold for horses, and how that relates to these findings.

 

[michaels4gardens]

This has me wondering about the beet pulp cubes and pellets sold for horses, and how that relates to these findings.

although I have fed loads of raw sugar beets, -- and-- wilted, and dried , crowns and tops -- I have never fed "beet pulp"..

 

[Homer]

That's something. Mine won't eat a beet top to save my soul, let alone the rest of it....


edit: kan't speel. :?

 

[michaels4gardens]

That's something. Mine won't eat a beet top to save my soul, let alone the rest of it....

I have had the rabbits stop eating various "safe greens" ,- from time to time-- often, when there was extra nitrogen in the soil,[IE: ,midseason fertilizer application to increase beetroot size at harvest]. they would also stop eating the amaranth, and lambsquarters grown in that same soil ... I guess [maybe] nitrates accumulate in the leaves to the point that it is "toxic" past certain consumption amounts.
Other than that... I have noticed that rabbits not raised with beet leaves or root as a part of their diet are often "resistant" to eating them.
When i feed what I grow.. the rabbits get tired of just eating grass hay, or corn stalks, they start eating more and more beet greens and sugar beets ..

 

[hotzcatz]

Plus it's easier to feet sugar beets to people than regular beets so that's the only type we grow anymore. I eat the tops and feed some to the bunnies as well. They're pretty tasty when they're steamed. (The sugar beet tops)

Other than growing them yourself, where would folks get enough sugar beet tops to use as rabbit food, anyway?

 

[michaels4gardens]

Plus it's easier to feet sugar beets to people than regular beets so that's the only type we grow anymore. I eat the tops and feed some to the bunnies as well. They're pretty tasty when they're steamed. (The sugar beet tops)

Other than growing them yourself, where would folks get enough sugar beet tops to use as rabbit food, anyway?

many years ago... when in Montana, sugar beets were farmed next door.. the beets all were "topped" in the field. -When the field was finished, and harvesting equipment gone.. I just raked the tops and crowns into rows ,with a side delivery rake. Some i fed fresh, others were just left out in rows to dry in the sun, I fed them in various stages of dryness. The dried tops were baled, and put into the barn . The farmers next door thought it was great ,because the beet crowns were a pain to deal with...