After the COVID-19 pandemic gradually improved, demand for rabbit farming in Batu City area has now increased. This is supported because Batu City is a tourist destination, so sales of ornamental rabbits and demand for rabbit meat have increased. In addition, Batu is also a center for horticultural agriculture so there is an abundance of vegetable waste that can be used as rabbit feed.
However, according to lecturer at the Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Brawijaya University (Fapet UB) Dr. Heli Tistiana, S.Pt., M.P., vegetable waste has quite high water content, while crude fiber and protein are low. This can cause digestive disorders and diarrhea in rabbits and not meet nutritional needs.
Heli and the lecturer team designed a solution to overcome this feed problem by adding feed ingredients that contain high fiber and protein, using forage supplementation formulation technology that is a source of fiber and a source of protein.
The team consisting of Heli (chairman), Prof. M. Halim Natsir, Prof. V.M. Ani Nurgiartiningsih, and Yuli Frita Nuningtyas, M.Sc. This socialized the innovation to Batu City rabbit farming group called the Rabbit Breeders Association (Asosiasi Peternak Kelinci- ASPEK). Because ASPEK livestock members on average provide feed in the form of vegetable waste and a little additional concentrate feed in the form of pollard and bran. Some breeders have even provided complete feed in pellet form whose nutritional content is sufficient for rabbits’ needs.
“Unfortunately, the price of pellets is much more expensive than vegetable waste, so farmers make small profits or even lose money. “Therefore, the use of vegetable waste has advantages in terms of price, but it requires additional forage materials that are high in fiber and protein,” he said.
Feed ingredients that are available and easy to obtain as a source of fiber are grass, straw and hay. It’s just that hay has a drawback in that it contains high lignin silica and is difficult for rabbits to digest. So, feed ingredients that can be used as a source of crude protein and are available nearby are legume plants. This socialization and training activity are carried out for two months, May to June 2023, wrapped up in community service. (dta/ UB PR/ Trans. Iir )
