Increasing New Zealand White Rabbit Productivity, IPB Students Develop Lighting Engineering
Rabbit is one of the farm animals that has a potency to become a good meat and protein source. Some people do not aware that rabbit meat contains high protein and low cholesterol. Normally, people fulfill their needs for meat by consuming beef, buffalo meat, and poultry. Another potency of rabbit livestock is the fact that rabbit, with its small body, does not take up a lot of space, does not need huge investment and livestock cost. Rabbit also grows and fattens fast.
Rabbit broiler that is common to be reared in Indonesia is New Zealand White, but its growth in Indonesia is not as fast as it is in the sub-tropical country. The growth difference is caused by geography and environment disparity. Rabbit likes to be in a cooler temperature. A lot of researches and studies have been conducted to increase the production performance of rabbit, one of them is manipulating the environment.
This issue became the background of Randi Novriandi, a student of Department of Animal Production and Technology, Faculty of Animal Science, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) to conduct a research on increasing the production of New Zealand White rabbit. Under the supervision of Dr. Moh Yamin and Dr. Yono C Raharjo, Randi developed a lighting engineering and feed the rabbit with high protein feed.
"Light will stimulate the secretion pattern of numerous hormones that control growth and reproduction. An adequate lighting intensity is 30-40 lux or at least 50 lux. The increase of lighting duration is also expected to enhance the eating habit of the rabbit, so it can increase its growth and weight," he said.
Lighting that is done for 24 hours to a weaned rabbit can increase the daily feed consumption, increase the daily weight gain, and give an income over feed cost that is higher than other levels of treatment.
"Through this research, it is proven that 24-hour of lighting and high protein feed can increase the weight gain of New Zealand White rabbit," he explained. (CN)
