Productivity results and physiological response of the gastrointestinal tract of rabbits fed diets containing rapeseed cake and wheat distillers dried grains with solubles

Abstract

This study was aimed at determining the possibility of applying rapeseed cake (RC) and wheat distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in diets for HYPLUS meat-type rabbits (n = 64, aged 35–84 days). Control diet (SC) contained 5% of extracted soybean meal. In RC diet, the soybean meal was replaced by RC, in DG diet – by wheat DDGS, whereas in RC–DG diet – by a mixture of RC and wheat DDGS (2.5% each). The study included production analyses, digestibility-balance experiment and physiological assessment of gut response to experimental factors hence data was collected on daily bodyweight gains, feed intake and slaughter performance, nutrients digestibility, nitrogen retention and gut response. The latter included assessment of parameters describing the small intestinal, cecal, and colonic environment of rabbits (e.g. digesta viscosity, ammonia concentration, bacterial enzymes activity, short-chain fatty acid concentration). The highest productivity results were reported for SC group and the lowest ones for DG group. The RC and RC–DG groups were characterised by intermediate productivity. Dressing percentage and contents of carcass elements did not differ among the groups (except for the hind part). Nutrients digestibility and nitrogen retention were the highest in the SC group and the lowest in DG group. The dietary incorporation of DDGS resulted in undesired responses of the gastrointestinal tract including excessively watery digesta in the small intestine, increased concentration of cecal and colonic ammonia, enhanced activity of potentially harmful bacterial β-glucuronidase in cecal digesta, and increased cecal concentration of putrefactive short-chain fatty acids. These negative effects were not due to RC and RC–DG dietary treatments, apart from decreased dry matter concentration in the small intestine in the RC–DG group. In general, the results of our study demonstrated that 5% rape cake can be successfully incorporated into rabbit dietary regimen as a substitute of dietary soybean meal. Considering that the productivity of rabbits fed 2.5% of DDGS (with 2.5% rape cake) and these receiving 5% rape cake was comparable, optional seems also dietary inclusion of up to 2.5% wheat DDGS The higher content of DDGS (5%) in the diet deteriorated most of the growth parameters of rabbits.

The effect of substitution of soybean meal with a mixture of rapeseed meal, white lupin grain, and pea grain on performance indicators, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen retention in Popielno White rabbits

“…The contribution of cuts in rabbit carcass is determined by the adopted dissection lines, age and breed of rabbits, and, to a lesser extent, the dietary regime (Szkucik & Libelt 2006). The results obtained in our study were similar to those obtained in a study by Daszkiewicz et al (2012) and Gugołek et al (2015).…”

“…However, they were lower than those for typical meat rabbits kept under similar conditions and fed feeds with a similar nutritional value (Strychalski, Juśkiewicz et al 2014;Gugołek et al 2015). Based on the data presented above, it should be considered that both partial and complete elimination of extracted SBM from the rations, and the substitution thereof with extracted RSM, WL, and peas, had no effect on the production results of rabbits.…”

“…For example, Gasmi- et al (2007) demonstrated in their study that 7% dietary inclusion of RSM had no effect on production results. Results of experiments conducted by Strychalski, Juśkiewicz et al (2014) and Gugołek et al (2015) demonstrated that the replacement of SBM with 5% of rapeseed cake did not cause changes in daily BWG, FCR, or DP of rabbits. Volek and Marounek (2009) showed that the addition of 15% WL grain to the rabbits' feed did not affect weight gain or FCR as compared to that in animals fed diets containing SBM.…”

“…Similar results were achieved by Daszkiewicz et al (2012) in New Zealand White Rabbits, in an extensively fed group. In turn, as regards typical rabbits bred for meat, the slaughter yield calculated using this method is usually higher, and exceeds 50% (Zita et al 2007;Volek & Marounek 2009;Gugołek et al 2011;Strychalski, Juśkiewicz et al 2014;Gugołek et al 2015).…”

“…Most often, they were by-products of the agro-food industry. The use of barley, wheat, and corn dried distiller grains with solubles (DDGS) (Chełmińska & Kowalska 2013;Alagón et al 2014;Strychalski, Juśkiewicz et al 2014;Gugołek et al 2015), sunflower cake (Volek & Marounek 2009;Volek & Marounek 2011), and rapeseed cake (Dänicke et al 2004;Gasmi-Boubaker et al 2007;Strychalski, Juśkiewicz et al 2014;Gugołek et al 2015) has already been studied. Moreover, attempts to use the grain of white lupin (WL) (Volek & Marounek 2009;Volek & Marounek 2011;Volek et al 2013), pea (Seroux 1988;Castellini et al 1991;Bonomi et al 2003), and other plants of the Fabaceae family have been made (Amaefule et al 2005;Lounaouci-Ouyed et al 2014).…”