Abstract
An 8-week experiment was carried out to assess the impact of supplemental dietary pyridoxine (PY), protease (PR), zinc (Zn) and their mixture (MIX) with low protein diet (LP; 14.76% CP) or high protein diet (HP; 18.53% CP) on rabbit growth, feed utilization, and nutrients digestibility. Rabbits were divided into ten similar groups in a 2 (protein level) ×5 (treatments) factorial design. Treatments included a control group (without any additives), 5 mg PY/kg of diet, 100 mg Zn/kg of diet, 500 mg PR/kg of diet or a mixture of all tested feed additive with the same doses. Results indicated that growth performance, feed utilization, and nutrients digestibility indicators were retarded significantly with reduction of dietary crude protein. Growth performance and feed conversion were significantly enhanced as a result of PY, PR, Zn, and MIX supplementation. All feed supplements had significantly improved the digestibility of crude protein and digestible crude protein. No change in carcass traits was recorded in response to protein level and tested feed supplements. It is concluded that the growing rabbit responded positively to PY, Zn, PR, and MIX (particularly PY) supplemental of LP or HP diets, in terms of growth performance, feed conversion, and nutrient digestibility.
Highlights
In developing countries, rabbits are excellent and economical producer animals for protein to cover the ever-increasing human needs (Nehad et al 2009)
JI & FUC (2010) confirmed that growth performance, carcass yield and organ weights of rabbits are influenced by dietary crude protein level in the diet of rabbits
The results indicated that reduction of protein percentage in growing rabbit diets led to a significant (P≤0.003) increase in DFI, but a significant (P
Summary
Rabbits are excellent and economical producer animals for protein to cover the ever-increasing human needs (Nehad et al 2009). Feed is the main component of cost in animal production. A protein deficiency resulted from either one or more limiting amino acids or overall insufficient protein consumption, will result in decreases in parameters such as growth rate, feed intake and utilization (Lei et al 2004). JI & FUC (2010) confirmed that growth performance, carcass yield and organ weights of rabbits are influenced by dietary crude protein level in the diet of rabbits. Numerous nutritional solutions have been adopted with low-protein diets to improve nutrients utilization with economic efficiency such as supplementation of commercial products of amino acids and enzymes (Rehman et al 2017).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
