Protein replacement by digestible fibre in the diet of growing rabbits: 2-Impact on performances, digestive health and nitrogen output - INRAE - Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement
Journal Articles Animal Feed Science and Technology Year : 2013

Protein replacement by digestible fibre in the diet of growing rabbits: 2-Impact on performances, digestive health and nitrogen output

V. Kerdiles
  • Function : Author
N. Jehl
  • Function : Author
P. Arveuxe
  • Function : Author
B. Eckenfelder
  • Function : Author
C. Briens
  • Function : Author
H. Fortune
  • Function : Author
S. Montessuy
  • Function : Author
G. Muraz
  • Function : Author

Abstract

The fattening performances, nitrogen excretion and health status of growing rabbits were studied in response to a linear reduction of the digestible fibre (DgF = water-insoluble pectins + hemicelluloses) to crude protein ratio (DFP) in four diets (from 1.01 to 1.55). As the crude protein level was reduced from 17.7% to 13.9% (in diets DFP1 DFP4), the DgF level was increased from 18.5% to 22.1%, without changes to poorly-digestible fibre levels (ADF = 19%). A total of 644 rabbits per diet were used in a multi-site study (n = 6). Between weaning (28d-37d according to sites) and 49d of age, reduction of the DFP ratio led to a linear decrease in weight gain (-4 g/d between DFP1 and DFP4, P<0.001), associated with a reduced feed intake (-5.7% between DFP1 and DFP4). However, for the whole fattening period, growth and intake did not differ significantly among the diets. Over the whole fattening period (35d-70d old), the mean faecal nitrogen output was of 1 g/N per day and per rabbit, and remained similar for the four diets, while the urinary N output was reduced by 55% between DFPI and DFP4 (P<0.001). Accordingly, the total N output per rabbit was of 82.4g. 75.5 g, 63.2 g and 57.4g (P<0.001) in animals fed with DFP1-DFP4 diets, respectively. The nitrogen output per kg of live weight of rabbit produced was 52.0 g. 47.9 g, 40.7 g and 36.9 g for DFP1 DFP4, respectively. At the same time, an increase of the DFP ratio of over 1.3 (CP<16% and DgF > 20%) reduced the mortality by diarrhoea for the two highest DFP ratios when compared to the two lowest ratios (5.2% vs. 7.8%, P<0.05), and led to a 40% reduction of the health risk index between weaning and slaughtering (20.0% vs. 12.6% for DFPI and DFP4, respectively, P<0.01). A significant reduction of mortality from rabbit epizootic enteropathy (3 sites) was also observed when the DFP ratio was increased to over 1.3. A reduction of the protein level in favour of a higher digestible-fibre level is therefore a useful feeding strategy which improves the resistance of the growing rabbit to enteropathy, without major impairment of performances, and with a reduced nitrogen output. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Dates and versions

hal-02648644 , version 1 (29-05-2020)

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Thierry Gidenne, V. Kerdiles, N. Jehl, P. Arveuxe, B. Eckenfelder, et al.. Protein replacement by digestible fibre in the diet of growing rabbits: 2-Impact on performances, digestive health and nitrogen output. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 2013, 183 (3-4), pp.142 - 150. ⟨10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2013.03.013⟩. ⟨hal-02648644⟩
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