The effect of Muhlenbergia macroura dietary level on intake, digestibility and weight changes in volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi) Article uri icon

abstract

  • The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of Muhlenbergia macroura on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and daily weight changes in volcano rabbits. Thirty-nine-month-old mixed sex rabbits (n=32) were randomly allocated to four dietary levels of M. macroura, i.e. 0, 10, 20 and 30%25. Following 14 days of adaptation, daily feed intake (DFI) and daily weight gain (DWG) were recorded and faeces collected during a one-day digestibility trial. Digestibility was estimated with lignin as an internal marker from the feed/faeces ratio. There was no effect (P>0.05) of treatment on DFI. As a daily average, rabbits consumed 26.2 g (SEM 0.20). There were linear (P<0.05) and quadratic (P<0.008) effects between grass levels and DWG. Weights were negatively affected as grass dietary levels increased. Mean DWG values were 1.5,-1.0,-2.1,-0.5 g/day for 0, 10, 20 and 30%25, respectively (SEM 0.14). There was a quadratic response on digestibility of dry matter (DM) (P<0.04) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (P<0.02). Digestibility of DM for grass levels was 59.9, 67.6, 64.5, 62.3%25 (SEM 1.14) whereas digestibility mean values for NDF were 26.2, 39.3, 33.6 and 24.6%25, respectively (SEM 2.26). Digestibility for organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, acid detergent fibre, ash and digestible energy was not affected (P>0.05) by grass levels. Daily requirement of digestible energy for maintenance in volcano rabbits was estimated at 178.1 kcal/kg WB0.75. Increasing dietary levels of M. macroura impairs DWG, even when DM and NDF digestibility showed a quadratic increase response. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
  • The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of Muhlenbergia macroura on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and daily weight changes in volcano rabbits. Thirty-nine-month-old mixed sex rabbits (n=32) were randomly allocated to four dietary levels of M. macroura, i.e. 0, 10, 20 and 30%25. Following 14 days of adaptation, daily feed intake (DFI) and daily weight gain (DWG) were recorded and faeces collected during a one-day digestibility trial. Digestibility was estimated with lignin as an internal marker from the feed/faeces ratio. There was no effect (P>0.05) of treatment on DFI. As a daily average, rabbits consumed 26.2 g (SEM 0.20). There were linear (P<0.05) and quadratic (P<0.008) effects between grass levels and DWG. Weights were negatively affected as grass dietary levels increased. Mean DWG values were %2b1.5,-1.0,-2.1,-0.5 g/day for 0, 10, 20 and 30%25, respectively (SEM 0.14). There was a quadratic response on digestibility of dry matter (DM) (P<0.04) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (P<0.02). Digestibility of DM for grass levels was 59.9, 67.6, 64.5, 62.3%25 (SEM 1.14) whereas digestibility mean values for NDF were 26.2, 39.3, 33.6 and 24.6%25, respectively (SEM 2.26). Digestibility for organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, acid detergent fibre, ash and digestible energy was not affected (P>0.05) by grass levels. Daily requirement of digestible energy for maintenance in volcano rabbits was estimated at 178.1 kcal/kg WB0.75. Increasing dietary levels of M. macroura impairs DWG, even when DM and NDF digestibility showed a quadratic increase response. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

publication date

  • 2013-01-01