Effect of Inclusion of Hard Versus Soft Wheat Bran with Different Particle Size on Diet Digestibility, Growth Performance and Carcass Traits of Fattening Rabbits

V Laudadio,M Dario,F Addonizio,V Tufarelli

doi:10.5713/ajas.2009.90218

Abstract

Effect of inclusion of hard vs. soft wheat bran with different particle size on diet digestibility, growth performance and some slaughter traits was evaluated in fattening rabbits. Four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were used according to the origin of wheat bran (hard (HWB) - Triticum durum - and soft (SWB) - Triticum aestivum) combined with wheat bran particle size sieved by 2 mm (fine: 2) or by 8 mm (coarse: 8) in a bifactorial (2×2) study. A growth trial was conducted to measure the effect of treatments on performance in one hundred and twenty New Zealand White×Californian rabbits fed experimental diets from 50 to 87 days of age. Faecal apparent digestibility was determined within the last week in twenty animals per diet. Digestibility of nutrients was higher (p 0.05) affected by the diets fed; however, the diet containing fine hard wheat bran led to lower (p<0.05) percentages of skin, abdominal fat and carcass drip loss than the other dietary treatments. It is concluded that fine hard wheat bran can be better included in

Highlights

In the European Union (EU), France has the highest volume of wheat production followed by Germany and the United Kingdom
The particle sizes of wheat bran were: fine texture for hard wheat bran sieved by 2 mm (HWB2), coarse texture for hard wheat bran sieved by 8 mm (HWB8), fine texture for soft wheat bran sieved by 2 mm (SWB2) and coarse texture for soft wheat bran sieved by 8 mm (SWB2)
There were no significant differences in the chemical composition of the different types of wheat bran analyzed

Summary

Introduction

In the European Union (EU), France has the highest volume of wheat production followed by Germany and the United Kingdom. Has the highest rate of wheat usage for human nutrition, followed by the United Kingdom and France which have the highest rate of wheat usage as animal feed. Hard wheat production of the EU is concentrated in Southern Europe. Has the highest durum wheat production followed by France and Greece. Hard wheat traditionally accounts for 23% of total EU wheat production. Wheat by-products have shown a steady increase with a good amount for export. The hard wheat division is strategic in the EU

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