Sustainable high-protein rabbit feed pellets from Petai Belalang (Leucaena leucocephala) varieties Wondergraze and Taramba

Malaysia faces a significant shortage of animal feed ingredients such as yellow corn and soybean meal, leading to heavy reliance on imports to sustain the livestock industry. In rabbit production, imported alfalfa hay (RM8.40–RM12/kg) is the main fiber source, but it significantly increases feed costs. Petai belalang (Leucaena leucocephala), commonly used as ruminant fodder, presents a promising local and cost-effective alternative due to its high nutritional value, including crude protein (>28%), fat (6%), fiber (20%), neutral detergent fiber (NDF, 40%), acid detergent fiber (ADF, 35%), and high dry matter degradability (>80%). This study evaluated the use of L. leucocephala varieties Wondergraze and Taramba as substitutes for imported ingredients in rabbit feed pellets. An optimized formulation containing 15% Petai belalang reduced alfalfa hay to 28%, eliminated soybean meal, and lowered yellow corn to 2.5%, resulting in approximately 25% reduction in feed production costs. The pellets met essential nutritional requirements for rabbit growth, including crude protein (20%), ADF (36%), NDF (38%), and gross energy (13.8 MJ/kg), values comparable to those of premium commercial feeds. Digestibility evaluation using in vitro gas production indicated that 10–15% inclusion of Petai belalang is suitable for rabbit diets. Feeding trials with Haycole rabbits showed positive weight gain, with rabbits reaching the recommended market weight after 2 months. These findings demonstrate that Petai belalang-based pellets are a sustainable and economical alternative to imported feed ingredients.