Showing papers by "Gerolamo Xiccato published in 2011"
TL;DR: At weaning, 246 hybrid rabbits were divided into six experimental groups and fed ad libitum six iso-ADF diets formulated according to a bifactorial arrangement with two protein levels and three soluble fibre-to-starch ratios and neither growth performance nor slaughter results were affected by the protein level.
Abstract: At weaning (33 days of age), 246 hybrid rabbits (782 ± 53 g live weight) were divided into six experimental groups and fed ad libitum six iso-ADF diets formulated according to a bifactorial arrangement with two protein levels (152 and 162 g/kg) and three soluble fibre-to-starch ratios (0.2, 0.6 and 1.5), the latter obtained by replacing starch (from 209 to 91 g/kg) with soluble fibre (from 48 to 136 g/kg). The trial lasted for 42 days until slaughter. The rabbits that were fed the diet with the highest protein level and the lowest soluble fibre-to-starch ratio showed the highest mortality rate (17.1% v. 1.7% on average; P < 0.001) and sanitary risk (mortality + morbidity: 20.0% v. 8.1%; P = 0.04) compared with the rabbits fed the other diets. With increasing dietary crude protein level, the digestibility of dry matter (DM; 0.615 to 0.626) and gross energy (0.620 to 0.630) as well as aNDF (without sodium sulphite; 0.298 to 0.323) and hemicelluloses (0.417 to 0.461) significantly (0.001 < P < 0.10) improved. Moreover, total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the caecal content increased (59.0 to 68.4 mmol/l; P = 0.01) and ileum crypt depth tended to reduce (P = 0.07). Neither growth performance nor slaughter results were affected by the protein level. When increasing soluble fibre-to-starch ratio, the digestibility of DM and gross energy did not change, whereas the digestibility of aNDF (0.264 to 0.352), ADF (0.167 to 0.267) and hemicelluloses (0.400 to 0.470) linearly increased (P < 0.001). At caecum, N-ammonia tended to decrease linearly (P = 0.08), total VFA concentration (56.0 to 67.3 mmol/l) and acetate proportion (80.4 to 83.3 mmol/100 mmol VFA) linearly increased (P < 0.01), whereas butyrate and valerate proportions decreased (0.01 < P < 0.05). Growth performance was similar among groups, whereas at slaughter the proportion of the gastrointestinal tract linearly increased (177 to 184 g/kg; P < 0.01) without effect on dressing percentage, however. As soluble fibre-to-starch ratio increased, meat pH linearly decreased and lightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) colour indexes increased (0.01 < P < 0.05).
38 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of increasing dietary starch and soluble fiber on performance and digestive efficiency was studied in 246 cross-bred rabbits from weaning (34 d of age) to slaughtering (75 d).
28 citations
TL;DR: L’aumento del rapporto amido/ADF nelle diete del secondo periodo ha migliorato la conversione alimentare, senza effetti sullo stato di salute e la qualità della carcassa e della carne.
Abstract: The relationship between high dietary starch and post-weaning digestive disorders has been demonstrated and ascribed to the low gut amylase activity in young rabbits (Cheeke, 1987; Lebas and Maitre, 1989; Blas et al., 1994). As a consequence, undigested starch may overload the hindgut, modify caecal pH and microflora and provoke even fatal diarrhoea in young rabbits, especially early weaned ones. A reduction of dietary starch and an increase of ADF during weaning and post-weaning are also considered useful to control the occurrence of rabbit epizootic enterocolitis (REE) (Gidenne, 2000)...
TL;DR: Gidenne et al. as mentioned in this paper assessed the nutritional role of fiber in rabbit feeding and the spread out of rabbit epizootic enterocolitis (REE) has strongly increased the dietary fibre levels and reduced starch, as a method to prevent digestive troubles.
Abstract: The nutritional role of fibre in rabbit feeding has been widely assessed (Gidenne, 2000) and the spread out of rabbit epizootic enterocolitis (REE) has strongly increased the dietary fibre levels and reduced starch, as a method to prevent digestive troubles. In fact, high starch to fibre ratios may favour digestive problems, especially in young rabbits having a low gut amylase activity (Blas et al., 1994; Gidenne et al., 2000)...