#pelletized

The aim of the study was to develop a pelletized rice bean-based ration for goats and determine their effect on their growth performance. Sixty (60) days feeding trial utilizing twelve (12) Philippine native goats was conducted. There were two treatments, with six (6) animals per treatment. Goats in Treatment 0 were given 1.5 kg. of fresh cogon plus 250 grams of commercial pullet developer pellets and goats in Treatment 1 were given 1.5 kg. of fresh cogon plus 250 grams of rice bean-enhanced pellets. The rice bean (tahori) seeds were sun-dried for 3 to 4 days to obtain 80 to 85% DM, then milled. Using the Pearson square method of feed formulation, ingredients were mixed, then pelletized using a manual pelletizing machine, sun-dried for 2 to 3 hours, then oven-dried at 100 degrees Celsius `for 15 to 20 minutes, and air-dried. The daily feed consumed and refused were gathered and weekly growth and gain in weight performance traits were evaluated. The data revealed a comparable result between the two treatments, suggesting that pelletized rice bean can be used as a substitute for the costly commercial pullet developer pullet. A similar study should be conducted on the effects on the digestibility of dry matter (DM) and crude protein in native goats.

The study was conducted to determine the digestibility of the formulated ration with different levels of Cassava Leaf Meal (CLM) fed to New Zealand White Rabbits. There were four (4) treatments considered in the study: Treatment 1-0% CLM/Control, Treatment 2-10% CLM, Treatment 3-20% CLM, and Treatment 4-30% CLM. The study was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with six (3) replications. Before the start of the digestibility trial, the different formulated rations were subjected to proximate analysis. A seven-day digestibility trial was conducted where twelve (12) rabbits were used to serve as experimental animals for the trial. The fecal samples for the whole duration of the trial were collected and oven-dried at 80°C until a constant weight was attained. The dried feces were analyzed for their proximate composition at the Cagayan Valley Integrated Agricultural Laboratory (CVIAL) and the results were used to determine the digestibility of the feed nutrients of the treatment diets. This study revealed that feeding the rabbits with 10% CLM resulted in better digestibility in terms of Dry matter, Crude Protein, Crude Fiber, and Ash. Based from the findings, It is then recommended that CLM at 10% level is a good alternative source of protein in rabbit production. A similar study should also be conducted using other forage materials with high protein content with the same inclusion levels on their digestibility.