THE USE OF BIO-FEED ADDITIVES TO IMPROVE RABBIT PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The present study was carried out at the rabbitry be- i I longing to the Department of Animal and Poultry Nunition and I Production , National Research Center, Dokki , Egypt , during the ji,, period From 1997 to 2000. This study aimed to investgate the effect of supplementing I weanling rabbit diet with different probiotics either microbial i (Yea- Sacc., Lacto- Sacc. and Acid Pak- 4- Way) or acidifiers ( Ascorbic and Citric ) either individually or in com­ bination on the growth performance, nunients digestibility , car­ cass traits. weights and measurements of gastro - intestinal tract , pH of gasnic and ceacum contents, mortality,-blood biochemistry and economic efficiency of New Zealand growing rabbits during • post - weaning period . 1 A pilot experiment and two feeding experiments were I conducted using a total of 150weaned NZW rabbits , six weeks I! of age and about 800 g live body weight and fed dietary treat­ ments up till 13 weeks of age . Inclusion of either microbial prob­ iotics or acidifiers in the weaning rabbit diet imporved the nu- , nitive value and digestibiliy coefficients of nunients resulting in I improved feed converion and daily gain, carcass traits and survival I rate without iny harmful effect on liver and kidney functions. How- ! ever, the most effective probiotic was Lacto- Sacc, followed by Yea- Sacc and then by Acid Pak 4- Way. Among acidifiers, As­ corbic acid was in the first manerss followed by cinic acid . Moreover , it is preferable to use either the probiotics or the acid­ ifiers separately than combination form . Accordingly, the pH of I the stomach could be easily controllled and the rabbit can survive 1 in normal conditions which lead to maximum profitability . Fur- 1 ther studies are needed to study the effect of such supplements ! when used in drinking water, since in these experiments either the probiotics or the acidifiers were added in the diet either separately 1 or in combination