Onset of feed intake of the suckling rabbit and evidence of dietary preferences according to pellet physical properties

Abstract

Weaning represents a critical period for rabbit, with a high susceptibility to gastrointestinal diseases. Stimulating early solid feed intake could contribute to preserving health in rabbit. Thus, the aims of this study were, first, to quantify early solid intake and, second, to determine young rabbit pellet preferences according to their physical properties. Double-choice tests of pellets processed with different dies were conducted in two trials. An original feeding system was used to specifically measure consumption of suckling rabbits in the nest independent of that of the does. Pellets were provided from 3 to 17 days in the nest box and intake was measured daily. From 15 to 35 days, kits received pellets in feeders and intake was measured every 4 days. In the first trial, four pellet diameters were tested in pairs against each other: (A) 2.0, (B) 3.0, (C) 4.0 and (D) 6.0 mm. In the second trial, pellets of identical diameter (2.5 or 4.0 mm) were manufactured with three die channel lengths: (E) 10, (F) 12, (G) 14 mm or (C) 18, (H) 20 and (I) 24 mm. For a given diameter, pellets were tested in pairs. This resulted in six combinations per trial (n = 10 litters per combination). Solid feed intake began at 8 days for 89 out of 118 litters. Over the first 17 days of life, a rabbit ingested a total of 1.63 ± 0.76 g of dry matter in the nest in addition to milk. The solid feed intake at 2 weeks of age was correlated with litter weight at the beginning of the experiment (r = 0.50 between 15 and 17 days; P < 0.05). In the feeders, rabbits selected pellet A (61%, 67% and 86% of relative consumption when compared with B, C and D). In the second trial, pellet I was slightly disliked compared to C when provided in the nest (P < 0.05), and compared to H in the feeders (P < 0.05). It was concluded that suckling rabbits were able to ingest solid feed in the nest box and to discriminate pellets according to their presentation when a choice was given. Providing young rabbits with an easy-access feeding system and an optimal pellet presentation may help to stimulate early solid intake and thus pave the way for further studies on nutritional control of microbiota implantation.