scholarly journals The effect of weaning age on performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler rabbits

2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (No. 10) ◽  
pp. 341-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Zita ◽  
E. Tůmová ◽  
V. Skřivanová ◽  
Z. Ledvinka

The effect of weaning age on growth, feed consumption, digestibility of nutrients, carcass yield, mortality and parasite incidence was studied in a balance experiment. Forty Hyplus® rabbits proceeding from a commercial rabbitry were assigned to four groups of 10 rabbits according to weaning age at 25, 28, 31 and 35 days. The experimental diet had 17.03% crude protein, 4.66% fat and 18.30% crude fibre. Feed and water were available <i>ad libitum</i>. At the end of the experiment, at 84 days of age, six rabbits per group were slaughtered. In the experiment, most results of performance were not significantly (<i>P</i> ≤ 0.05) affected by weaning age. Only the rabbits weaned at 25 days of age had higher live weight (<i>P</i> ≤ 0.05) at the age of 35 days (996, 986, 971 and 910 g, respectively), but at the end of the experiment we did not find any differences between groups. Higher digestibility of nutrients was recorded in the second collection period. In the first collection period the digestibility of nutrients was higher in rabbits weaned at 25 days of age in comparison with the other groups. No differences between groups in the digestibility of nutrients were observed in the second period. The age of weaning did not influence carcass characteristics. Dressing percentage was insignificantly higher in rabbits weaned at 25 and 35 days of age (53.11 and 53.07%, respectively) in comparison with rabbits weaned at 28 and 31 days of age (50.89 and 52.67%, respectively). There was no significant effect of weaning age on mortality. The incidence of <i>Eimeria</i> ssp. was the highest after weaning in rabbits at the age of 35 days.

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-233
Author(s):  
O. O. Egbewande

One of the most important aspects of animal nutrition is digestibility of ingested materials which has a direct relationship with the health status of an animal. The effect of different fish meal alternatives (maggot, termite, grasshopper and lizard meals) on nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens was investigated in this 56 days feeding trial. One hundred and fifty broiler chicks (Marshal breed) were used for the study. Birds were assigned into five dietary groups of 30 chicks each and further divided into three replicates of 10 chicks each. Five experimental diets were formulated to contain 5% fish meal, maggot meal, termite meal, grasshopper meal and lizard meal in treatments 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 (tagged T1 , T2 , T3 , T4 and T5 ) respectively in starter phase, while fish meal was replaced with 2.5% maggot, termite, grasshopper and lizard meals in treatments 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively in finisher phase. The chicks were allocated into the four diets in a completely randomized design and housed in a deep litter pen with feed and water served without restriction. Results from dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ash, ether extract and nitrogen free extract digestibility showed significant (P<0.05) differences in the test ingredients on birds. Dry matter digestibility ranged from 88.35% in birds fed T3 to 91.86% in birds fed T5 . Crude fibre followed the same trend with the lowest (70.80%) in T3 and the highest (84.83%) in T5 , but ether extract digestibility was at the opposite trend where birds fed T3 had the highest (87.14%), and those on T5 gave the lowest (80.86%). Crude protein showed significant decrease across the treatments from 86.10% in T1 to 80.88% in T5 . Ash digestibility ranged from 68.84% in T2 to 77.05% in T1 . Results on cut-up parts showed that there were no significant (P>0.05) influence on all the parameters considered except in live weight, dressed weight and breast muscle weights where there were significant (P<0.05) differences. Internal organ proportions of the broiler birds showed no significant (P>0.05) effect of the test ingredients on all the parameters considered except in abdominal fat. It can be concluded that crude protein digestibility, live weight, dressed weight and breast muscle values in birds fed T2 (maggot meal) were higher than birds fed other test ingredients and as such recommended as an alternative to fish meal.


2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 74-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sommer ◽  
M. Vodňanský ◽  
P. Petrikovič ◽  
R. Požgaj

It was confirmed in metabolic experiments with 4 individuals of roe deer (2 males and 2 females with the live weight of 20.8 and 17.9 kg, respectively) that due to the animals&rsquo; selective choice of a part of feeds there was no significant difference in the intake of lucerne hay of different quality and high-quality meadow hay (515.86 &plusmn; 66.97 and 597.82 &plusmn; 94.87 g, respectively). However, different quality of lucerne hay influenced the animals&rsquo; intake of crude protein and crude fibre. When the animals were fed meadow hay, they took in significantly less crude protein and fibre and significantly more nitrogen-free extract, fat and ash. Digestibility of crude protein was observed to be significantly decreased in hay of lower quality (by 10.1%). Digestibility coefficients for crude protein, crude fibre, organic matter and fat were significantly lower in grass hay compared to lucerne hay. Based on the coefficients of nutrient digestibility it can be stated that meadow hay, even if of excellent quality, is not a suitable supplement for the roe deer. &nbsp;


2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 533-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Šimko ◽  
Zuzana Čerešňáková ◽  
Daniel Bíro ◽  
Miroslav Juráček ◽  
Branislav Gálik ◽  
...  

We investigated the effects of feeding diets with different starch sources on fermentation in the rumen, duodenal nutrient flow and nutrient digestibility. The basis of the diets was maize silage and alfalfa hay supplemented with wheat meal in diet W, or maize meal in diet M. The experiment was performed on four Black-Spotted bulls with mean live weight of 525 kg, which were fed twice daily at 06.30 and 18.30 h. Experimental animals were fitted with ruminal fistulae and duodenal T-shaped cannulae. Cr2O3 was used as a marker of nutrient flow to the duodenum. Rations were formulated so that the ratio of starch to crude fibre (CF) was 2.1:1 and the percentage of CF was maintained at 17% (DM). Duodenal chymus was collected at 2-h time intervals. Starch origin significantly affected ruminal fermentation. Concentration of propionic, butyric and lactic acid was higher with wheat than with maize meal. When the maize meal was the source of starch there was a significantly higher flow of fat, CF, nitrogen-free extract, and starch into duodenum. Differences in duodenal flow of crude protein were not significant across the starch sources. Intake of wheat meal or maize meal increased duodenal flow relative to intake by 33% or 42 % respectively. The apparent digestibility of dry matter (76 ± 2%), crude protein (67 ± 0.9%), CF (64 ± 1.9%), nitrogen-free extract (82 ± 1.5%) and organic matter (76 ± 1.3%) was significantly higher by offering wheat meal.


2005 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Martínez ◽  
W. Motta ◽  
C. Cervera ◽  
M. Pla

AbstractOne hundred and thirty-two young rabbits were divided into two groups at weaning and given ad libitum a control diet (C), or an experimental diet (M) in which lucerne hay was substituted by mulberry leaves in order to examine their effects on fattening rabbit performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality.Digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), crude protein and gross energy were similar in both groups but digestibility of crude fibre in the experimental diet was higher in line with a lower food intake in this group of animals, while ether extract digestibility of mulberry leaves was very low.Food conversion ratio was similar in the two groups (3.1 g DM per g gain) but rabbits given the experimental diet had lower food intake (102 v. 144 g/day) and impaired live-weight gain. The rate of mortality was similar in the two groups. The substitution of lucerne with mulberry in the diet may have induced a higher retention time of digesta, as seems to be indicated by a higher weight of digestive tract contents recorded at slaughter (proportionately 0.32 more) in mulberry group. Live weight at slaughter of animals in control group was higher (2680 v. 2211 g) and also skin weight was proportionately 0.5 higher and its carcasses were proportionately 0.41 heavier than those of animals in experimental group (dressing yield 587 v. 503 g/kg). At constant carcass weight, the carcasses of rabbits of the mulberry group were longer than the lucerne group, but lumbar circumference tended also to be higher (P = 0.09) and no differences were found in the length: circumference ratio. No differences were found in the weights of kidneys or thoracic viscera, but livers of rabbits of the lucerne group were heavier (proportionately 0.3 heavier). The more remarkable difference was that carcasses of rabbits given the experimental diet had markedly less fat in scapular (5.8 v. 10.0 g) and perirenal fat (9.0 v. 22.3 g) deposits.No differences in cooking losses or water-holding capacity of the meat were found and also the colour was similar, but the b* parameter was a little lower for meat of the M group rabbits.The proportion of protein in the meat was the same for rabbits of the two groups, but rabbits given the experimental diet which had leaner carcasses also had leaner meat (19 v. 37 g lipids per kg meat) and a little more moisture (755 v. 736 g/kg meat). Intra and intermuscular fat of hindleg meat from rabbits of group M was less saturated and more unsaturated than that of the conventional rabbits mainly due to its higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, ω6 (37·3 v. 29·1 g/100 g lipids) and ω3 (3·4 v. 2·2 g/ 100 g lipids). Polyunsaturated: saturated ratio was higher in the mulberry group than in the lucerne group (1·15 v. 0·85) indicating a more desirable value in rabbits given the experimental diet, so meat of these rabbits could be considered preferable for human nutrition from this point of view.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (59) ◽  
pp. 7957-7971
Author(s):  
SO Aro ◽  
◽  
JO Agbede ◽  
VA Aletor ◽  
AA Ashimi

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the performance, haematology, nutrient digestibility and economics of production of growing pigs fed diets containing differently fermented cassava starch residue (CSR) and cassava peels (CP) altogether referred to as cassava tuber wastes (CTW). The CSR and CP were each divided into three parts and processed as dry unfermented (UFCRS Diet 2; UFCP Diet 5), naturally fermented (NFCSR Diet 3; NFCP Diet 6) and microbial fermentation by inoculation (MFCSR Diet 4; MFCP Diet 7). Each part was included in a control diet (Diet 1) to replace maize at 20% dietary level to make a total of seven treatments. The final live weight (F LW), total live weight gain (TL G) and total feed consumption (TFC) of pigs fed the control diet were not significantly (p>0.05) different from those fed the test diets. However, the feed conversion ratio (FC R) of pigs fed the control was consistently lower (3.93) than those fed CSR (3.68- 3.30) and CP (3.75- 3.36) - based diets. The response of RBC, WBC, Hb and PCV to the dietary treatment varied significantly (p<0.05) with the CTW -product incorporated into the diets vizs: RBC 10 6 /mm 3 : 7.53 vs CSR (5.71- 6.26) and CP (4.71- 5.75); WBC 10 3 /mm 3 :14.84 vs CSR (9.06- 10.06) and CP (8.53- 10.90) , and PCV%: 36.75 vs CSR (35.75- 36.00) and CP (32.5- 37.00) while the MCHC and differential counts were not significantly (P>0.05) affected. Varied effects on the digestibility of major ingredients in the diets were observed with the digestibility of dry matter (DM) been enhanced : 0.49- 8.68% and 3.10- 7.48%, organic matter (OM): 1.60 -9.37% and 3.41- 8.43%, crude protein: 3.33- 6.17% and 1.18 -4.10% , and crude fibre (CF): 24.37- 30.52% and 2.34- 28.80% by CSR and CP, respectively , over the control diet . T he Mean Apparent Digestibility (MAD) for NFE (CSR 65.07%; CP 69.33%) was higher than that of the control diet (61.49%) . The cost of feed intake per pig decreased : 11.92 -12.76% and 8.38 -14.95% , cost of feed per k g body weight gain: 14.84- 22.66% and 14.84- 21.88% with enhanced gross profit increase of 19.66 -29.02% and 14.37- 26.50% in CSR - and CP -based diets, respectively. It can , therefore, be concluded that CTW products could be included in pig’s diet as an alternative to maize.


2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-99
Author(s):  
A. A. Malik ◽  
M. J. Ibrahim ◽  
Y. S. Kudu ◽  
O. P. Jibogun ◽  
Y. J. Adeniyi ◽  
...  

A nine (9) weeks feeding trial was conducted on seventy two (72) day-old Indigenous turkey poults raised on deep litter to determine their growth performance, carcass and economic characteristics when fed three dietary treatments (T1, T2, and T3, containing 0%, 25% and 50% replacement of maize with millet respectively. The birds were divided into three replicates of 8 birds per replicate; making a total of 24 birds per treatment. At the end of the & week, 4 birds per replicate were transferred to specially-designed metabolism cages for a digestibility study involving the collection of faecal droppings; while at the end of the week of the experiments, two birds per replicate were randomly selected and slaughtered to determine their carcass characteristics. Turkey poults fed millet at 25 %replacement showed significantly (p<0.05) higher body weight gain, lower cost of feed per kg live weight gain and higher revenue generated per bird; but there were no significant (p>0.05) differences in the performance of birds on 0% and 50 % replacements for those parameters. Also, there were no significant (p>0.05) differences in feed intake and mortality across the treatments. Similarly, there were no significant (p>0.05) differences in nutrient digestibilities and carcass characteristics of the birds among the various dietary treatments. Therefore, it can be concluded hat millet cam be used to replace maize up to S0 % in the diets of turkey poults at the starter phase with no detrimental effects on their performance


1998 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarmo Valaja ◽  
Hilkka Siljander-Rasi

A digestibility and balance trial was carried out with four intact castrated male pigs (live weight 33-82 kg) to study the effects of dietary crude protein and energy content on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen metabolism, water intake and urinary output. In a 4 x 4 Latin square design, four barley-oats-soya bean meal based diets were arranged 2x2 factorially. The corresponding factors were dietary crude protein (CP) content: high (180 g/kg CP) or low protein diet (140 g/kg CP) supplemented with free lysine, methionine and threonine; and dietary net energy content; high (1.05 feed units (FU)/kg) (feed unit=9.3 MJ net energy) or low net energy content (0.95 FU/kg). Lowering dietary CP content (mean values of 189 to 152 g/kg dry matter, respectively) by supplementation of free amino acids decreased urinary nitrogen (N) excretion by 6.9 g/day (32%) (P


1971 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 201-204
Author(s):  
H. M. Hassan ◽  
A. M. S. Mukhtar

SUMMARYSixty-four young male Sudan desert lambs were group-fed for 87 days on four diets, all containing approximately 10% crude protein. The four diets contained 0, 1·3, 1·7 and 2·7% urea, respectively.Average daily gains were 0·15, 0·14, 0·14 and 0·13 kg; feed conversion ratios (kg of feed required to produce 1 kg live-weight gain) were 7·26, 8·14, 8·92 and 7·92; dressing percentages were 43·6, 42·1, 44·1 and 42·3.Digestibility trials with lambs fed on diets with 0 or 2·7% urea gave higher digestibility coefficients for crude fibre and nitrogen-free extract for the urea-supplemented lambs. Crude protein digestibility and nitrogen retention values were lower for urea-supplemented lambs.


1972 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. K. Curran ◽  
I. J. Lean ◽  
J. E. Duckworth ◽  
W. Holmes

SUMMARY1. The growth, feed consumption per unit weight gain, carcass characteristics and some aspects of meat quality were studied in two trials with crosses derived from Landrace (L), Pietrain (P), Hampshire (H) and Large White (LW) breeds.2. In Trial 1, 96 pigs of both pure Landrace and LW(× (L♀ × P♂)♂ origin were studied up to slaughter weights of 64 and 91 kg live weight. In Trial 2, Landrace, LW♀ × (L♀ × P♂)♂ and LW ♂x (P♀x L♂)♂, (H♀ × P♂ × L♂ and (H♀ × P♂)♀ × LW♂ pigs were compared up to 91 kg live weight using 48 pigs of each type.3. All crossbred types showed better economy of production than Landrace when assessed by live-weight gain and feed consumption per unit weight gain. Their carcasses contained greater quantities of lean meat and similar quantities of rind, bone and fat than Landrace at comparable weights, but they exhibited a variable tendency to poorer meat quality. LW × (L × P) and LW × (P × L) carcasses at 91 kg live weight were shorter than Landrace; 4% and 14% of pigs in trials 1 and 2 respectively were less than the currently acceptable length of bacon pigs (775 mm). (H × P) × LW and (H×P)×L carcasses at this weight were much shorter; 34% and 38% respectively were less than 775 mm.


1970 ◽  
Vol 39 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
MM Hossain ◽  
MJ Khan ◽  
MA Akbar

The experiment was conducted for a period of 75 days to study the effect of treatment of straw with urea or with urea and a urease containing chick pea seed meal and midden soil on chemical composition of treated rice straw, feed intake of the animals, nutrients digestibility, body weight gain, and feed conversion efficiency. For the study twelve indigenous growing bulls aged approximately 20 months and weighing 115.16 ± 1.50 kg were divided into four groups having three animals in each group. The animals of group A received 3.5% urea treated fresh straw, group B received 3.5% urea treated ensiled straw, group C received 3.5% urea + 2.5% midden soil treated ensiled straw and group D received 3.5% urea + 2.5% chick pea treated ensiled straw. All the animals were supplied with treated rice straw, green grass and concentrate mixture. Rice straw treated with 3.5% urea resulted an improvement in crude protein content of rice straw from 3.33 to 7.70 and 8.10 % (without ensiling and ensiling) which was further increased by 8.20 and 9.50% with the addition of 2.5% midden soil and 2.5% chick pea seed meal at the time of treatment. Significantly higher (P<0.05) daily dry matter intake was observed in animals fed diet D (4.42) followed by diet C (4.39), diet B (4.34) and diet A (4.12). The total CP intake by the animals of D groups was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that of the animals receiving diet A, B and C. During the 75 days trail, the total live weight gains were 30.50, 35.17, 38.17 and 39.83 kg for bull calves fed diet A (3.5% urea treated straw without ensiling), diet B (3.5% urea treated straw with ensiling), diet C (3.5% urea + 2.5% midden soil treated straw) and diet D (3.5% urea + 2.5% chick pea seed meal treated straw) respectively. The daily live weight gains were 0.41, .047, 0.51 and 0.53 kg in groups A, B, C and D respectively. Midden soil and chick pea seed meal addition with treated rice straw not only significantly (P<0.01) increased the coefficient of digestibility of DM, CP, and CF but also significantly (P<0.05) increased the coefficient of digestibility of OM, NFE than only urea treated straw (both without ensiling and ensiling). Addition of urease sources also increased (P<0.01) the digestible crude protein (DCP), digestible ether extract (DEE). Digestible nitrogen free extract (DNFE), digestible organic matter (DOM) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) contents were significantly (P<0.05) higher in diet D in comparison to diet A, B and C. Key words: Bull calves; Digestibility; Midden soil; Urea; Urease DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v39i1-2.9682 Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2010, 39(1&2): 97-105


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document