ramblingrabbit
Well-known member
There seems to be a number of studies done on the use of sugarcane (fresh cane, pressed cane, juice) as an energy-rich component of meat rabbit diets. This is one example: http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd7/2/4.htm. I found another more informative one the other day but now I can't seem to pull it up again. Darn.
Also this site http://www.mybunnyfarm.com/science/ch2.htm says this, which pretty much sums it up: "Sugar cane can be grown in countries with wet tropical climates and is a good rabbit feed, despite its low protein content (1 or 2 percent). In an early trial in Mauritius, coarsely chopped sugar cane was successfully used to re place one half the balanced concentrate feed ration with no consequent drop in performance. In a complementary trial, the same authors found that, fed ad lib, rabbits chose to replace up to 40 percent of their balanced concentrate feed with chopped sugar cane. In a similar ad lib feeding test, Leucaena leucocephala replaced up to 60 percent of the same balanced concentrate feed (see Figure 6). In a New Caledonia trial it was shown that rabbits prefer to eat first the dry leaves, then the green leaves and then the cane itself, chopped small."
I had tried giving my rabbits peel sections of stalk before and most of them never ate it--only my buck did, and he just kind of chewed it half-heartedly now and then. But a couple of days ago I chopped some up (no peeling, just chopping little chips and chunks off the end of a long piece of stem with a machete) and after a couple of refusals they now eat it up completely.
I'm excited. This makes a nice little addition/fill-in to their energy foods along with their oats, carrots, and sweetpotato roots, etc. Especially for fattening up those little ones and for the lactating does. I have plenty of sugarcane growing already, and I only need a tiny bit at a time for this anyway. A great sustainable resource!
Incidentally, they also enjoy eating the leaves (kind of like grass).
Also this site http://www.mybunnyfarm.com/science/ch2.htm says this, which pretty much sums it up: "Sugar cane can be grown in countries with wet tropical climates and is a good rabbit feed, despite its low protein content (1 or 2 percent). In an early trial in Mauritius, coarsely chopped sugar cane was successfully used to re place one half the balanced concentrate feed ration with no consequent drop in performance. In a complementary trial, the same authors found that, fed ad lib, rabbits chose to replace up to 40 percent of their balanced concentrate feed with chopped sugar cane. In a similar ad lib feeding test, Leucaena leucocephala replaced up to 60 percent of the same balanced concentrate feed (see Figure 6). In a New Caledonia trial it was shown that rabbits prefer to eat first the dry leaves, then the green leaves and then the cane itself, chopped small."
I had tried giving my rabbits peel sections of stalk before and most of them never ate it--only my buck did, and he just kind of chewed it half-heartedly now and then. But a couple of days ago I chopped some up (no peeling, just chopping little chips and chunks off the end of a long piece of stem with a machete) and after a couple of refusals they now eat it up completely.
I'm excited. This makes a nice little addition/fill-in to their energy foods along with their oats, carrots, and sweetpotato roots, etc. Especially for fattening up those little ones and for the lactating does. I have plenty of sugarcane growing already, and I only need a tiny bit at a time for this anyway. A great sustainable resource!
Incidentally, they also enjoy eating the leaves (kind of like grass).
