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Physiological effects in the digestive tract that result of using nontraditional diets and their relationship with productive and reproductive performance of rabbits
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Abstract: Experiments of the present study were carried out at the Rabbitary Farm of Poultry Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafr EL-Sheikh University during the period from September 2005 to May 2006. It aimed to investigate the physiological effects in the digestive tract that result from using diets differing in starch content and origin; differing in crude fiber and their relationship with productive and reproductive performance of New Zealand White rabbits. Beside, the study included investigating the influence of starch level on the performance of rabbit does and pups until weaning, the performance of growing rabbits, digestibility of nutrients, caecotrophy, some blood constituents, carcass traits, composition and yield of milk and semen quality.
The main results and conclusion could be summarized as follows:
(1) There were significant differences in the weight gained and feed intake in rabbit does during pregnancy and lactating. The best values for weight gain were observed for does fed diets with high starch level (25.5 and 25.9%), while the poorest was found for those fed 10% starch level.
(2) The dietary starch had a significant effect on feed and milk conversion ratios and milk production, where the highest values were recorded for lactating does fed diets with high starch level.
(3) The least mortality rate of litters was obtained with diets containing high starch level from birth to weaning.
(4) Increasing the level of starch led to a significant increase in the CP and lactose of the milk, while the fat and DM were significantly decreased.
(5) A significant depression (P<0.001) was observed in plasma cholesterol and total lipids, while plasma total protein and glucose were significantly increased by increasing the level of starch in diet.
(6) Digestibility of gross energy (GE), NFE, CP and DM were increased significantly as the starch level in diet increased.
(7) Increasing the level of starch led to significant reduction in the daily soft faces excretion.
(8) The highest fertility rate and semen characteristics were found for bucks fed diets with high starch level.
(9) The effect of physiological state of the does during lactation was more than that caused by the dietary starch level on the characteristic studied.
(10) Live body weight and daily weight gain were increased significantly, while dry matter intake was reduced significantly by increasing the level of starch.
(11) The lowest mortality rate was recorded for rabbits fed barley starch diets, while the highest was observed for those fed corn starch diets.
(12) Decreasing the starch level in the experimental diets had negatively affected on carcass traits, but was positively affected on gastrointestinal tract.
(13) Highest relative revenue (%) was observed for rabbits fed 25.5 and 25.9% starch level compared with other levels.
Thus it could be concluded that it is possible to include up to 25.5% of starch level in rabbit does (during pregnancy and lactation periods) and growing rabbit's diets, but with using high starch digestibility source like barley. Higher level of fiber caused the depression in reproductive and productive performance of rabbits.
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| Publication year |
2007
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| Pages |
PP.118
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| Availability location |
مكتبة معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى - الجيزة
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| Availability number |
1018
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| Organization Name |
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| Country |
Egypt
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| Author(s) from ARC |
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| Agris Categories |
Animal physiology - Nutrition
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AGROVOC
TERMS |
Blood composition.
Carcass composition.
Coprophagia.
Digestibility.
Digestive system.
Milk yield.
Performance testing.
Rabbits.
Reproductive performance.
Semen.
Starch.
Weaning.
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| Proposed Agrovoc |
crude fiber;
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| Publication Type |
PhD Thesis
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