Productivity of growing rabbits at different levels of methionine in the diet

Abstract

The article presents the results of experimental studies on the influence of various levels of methionine in feed on the productivity of growing rabbits. The research was conducted in the conditions of the problematic research laboratory of feed additives of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. Experiment was carried out on young rabbits HYLA hybrids of the French company EUROLAP, of which, on the principle of analogues, four groups were formed – control and 3 experimental, with 20 heads (10 females and 10 males) in each. The experiment lasted 42 days. Every week we conducted individual weighings of the experimental animals, calculation of weight gains and feed costs. For feeding of the experimental rabbits were used diets, which were balanced by energy and main nutritional elements, but differed in the content of methionine – the rabbits of the control group consumed feed containing methionine 0.29%, the second – 0.41%, the third – 0.54%, the fourth – 0.66%. Diet consisted of wheat bran, sunflower meal, sunflower hulls, alfalfa grass meal, premix and bone concentrate. At the 84th day of age, the largest body weight was in rabbits, which consumed feed containing methionine 0.41% – 3005.4 g, which is on 3.2% (P < 0.01) more than in the control. Over the entire period of the experiment largest absolute increase was observed in rabbits of second group (0.41% of methionine) and preponderated the indicator of animals of control group at 5.7% (P < 0.001). The average daily gain for the entire period of the experiment was the highest in rabbits of the second group, which was on 5.8% (P < 0.001) more than in control. Calculations of feed costs for the period of growth 42–84 days indicate that the rabbits that consumed a feed containing 0.66% methionine per 1 kg of body weight gain consumed it by 2.3% less than control, and those who consumed feed with contents 0.54% methionine – by 1.5% less, 0.41% methionine – by 1.2% less. According to experimental results, we can conclude that for maximum increases in body weight with moderate cost of feed per unit of weight must use diet containing methionine 0.41%.