Relationships between microflora and caecal fermentation in rabbits before and after weaning

The effect of different weaning ages, that is, 21 (G21), 28 (G28) or 35 (G35) days, on growth and certain parameters of the digestive tract was examined in rabbits to assess the risk of early weaning attributable to the less-developed digestive system. On days 35 and 42, G35 rabbits had 10% to 14% and 10% higher BW, respectively (P , 0.05), than those weaned at days 21 and 28. In the 4th week of life, early weaned animals had 75% higher feed intake than G28 and G35 rabbits (P , 0.05). The relative weight of the liver increased by 62% between 21 and 28 days of age, and thereafter it decreased by 76% between 35 and 42 days of age (P , 0.05), with G21 rabbits having 29% higher weight compared with G35 animals on day 35 (P , 0.05). The relative weight of the whole gastrointestinal (GI) tract increased by 49% and 22% after weaning in G21 and G28 rabbits, respectively (P , 0.05). On day 28, the relative weight of the GI tract was 19% higher in G21 than in G28 rabbits, whereas on day 35 G21 and G28 animals had a 12% heavier GI tract compared with G35 rabbits (P , 0.05). Age influenced the ratio of stomach, small intestine and caecum within the GI tract; however, no effect of different weaning age was demonstrated. The pH value of the stomach and caecum decreased from 5.7 to 1.6 and from 7.1 to 6.3, respectively, whereas that of the small intestine increased from 6.8 to 8.4 (P , 0.05); the differences between groups were not statistically significant. Strictly anaerobic culturable bacteria were present in the caecum in high amounts (10 8 ), already at 14 days of age; no significant difference attributable to weaning age was demonstrable. The concentration of total volatile fatty acids (tVFA) was higher in G21 than in G28 and G35 throughout the experimental period (P , 0.05). The proportion of acetic and butyric acid within tVFA increased, whereas that of propionic acid decreased, resulting in a C 3 : C 4 ratio decreasing with age. Early weaning (G21) resulted in higher butyric acid and lower propionic acid proportions on day 28 (P , 0.05). No interaction between age and treatment was found, except in relative weight of the GI tract and caecal content. In conclusion, early weaning did not cause considerable changes in the digestive physiological parameters measured, but it resulted in 10% lower growth in rabbits.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Effect of different weaning ages (21, 28 or 35 days) on production, growth and certain parameters of the digestive tract in rabbits

Kovács

Bónai

Szendrő

et al. 2012

“…Most of the caecal changes occurred between 21 and 28 days, when the solid feed intake became significant irrespective of the nutritional status of young, weaned or suckling. As in the literature, VFA concentration increases then stabilises, mainly resulting from variations in acetate production (Padilha et al, 1995). A reduction of the propionateto-butyrate ratio (Padilha et al, 1995;Piattoni et al, 1995;, a decrease in minor VFA production (Padilha et al, 1995) and a decrease in pH (Padilha et al, 1995;Piattoni et al, 1995; are generally observed between 21 and 28 days of age.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

“…As in the literature, VFA concentration increases then stabilises, mainly resulting from variations in acetate production (Padilha et al, 1995). A reduction of the propionateto-butyrate ratio (Padilha et al, 1995;Piattoni et al, 1995;, a decrease in minor VFA production (Padilha et al, 1995) and a decrease in pH (Padilha et al, 1995;Piattoni et al, 1995; are generally observed between 21 and 28 days of age. With respect to fibrolytic activities of caecal bacteria, we observed a peak for pectinolytic and xylanolytic activities on Figure 5 Changes in bacterial enzyme activities in the caecal content of rabbits according to their weaning age.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 61%

“…For instance, we found an earlier decrease in caecal ammonia concentration for early-weaned rabbits. Thus, the decrease in ammonia concentration seems more related to weaning than to the age of rabbits, as shown by Padilha et al (1995). Ammonia concentration results from a balance between ammonia production and utilisation, and a large number of hypotheses may be expressed to explain this lower concentration in early-weaned rabbits.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Adaptability of the digestive function according to age at weaning in the rabbit: I. Effect on feed intake and digestive functionality

Gallois

Huërou‐Luron

Fortun-Lamothe

et al. 2008

Self Cite

The functional adaptability of the digestive system to the level of feed intake was investigated in the young rabbits by comparing two groups of 12 litters each, weaned at 21 (W21) or 35 (W35) days of age. From 14 days onwards, rabbits were fed a pelleted feed (NDF: 332 g/kg, CP: 177 g/kg, starch: 98 g/kg, as-fed basis). Until 49 days of age, the profile of digestive enzymes was weekly determined in the small intestinal content and mucosa, as well as caecal fermentation traits and fibrolytic activities. In the W21 group, the solid feed intake was increased by 57% between 21 and 35 days (P , 0.01), while the daily body growth was lower from 21 till 42 days (217%, P , 0.05) when compared with the W35 group. Activities of enzymes of pancreatic origin were only scarcely influenced by the weaning age. In the W21 group, amylase activity tended to be lower at 28 days of age (236%, P 5 0.064), and trypsin activity was decreased by 31% at 49 days of age (P , 0.01). Lipase activity was similar in both weaning groups. Duodenal and jejunal activities of maltase and aminopeptidase N (APN) were higher on day 28 in the W21 group as compared with the W35 group (31.4 to 32.4, respectively, P , 0.05). On day 35, duodenal APN activity was twice as higher in the W21 group than in the W35 group (P , 0.01). In caecum, major differences between both weaning groups were observed at 28 days of age with a decrease in ammonia concentration (243%, P , 0.01) in W21 compared with W35 rabbits. Conversely, the acetate proportion was 5% higher in the W21 group (P , 0.01) on day 28. In conclusion, the digestive tract of early-weaned rabbits showed some adaptative properties in response to nutritional environment changes, but they were insufficient to maintain their growth rate.

“…Whatever feed restriction, age or the group × age interaction, the caecal levels of total VFA or the VFA molar proportions were within the range of the values reported by Gidenne (1997) and García et al (2002). The VFA molar proportions differ significantly according to age, which is probably associated with the relationships among ages, intestinal microflora and fermentation parameter (Padilha et al, 1995). Moreover, some differences in VFA in the present study might be affected by the modification of feeding behaviour of the AL and restricted groups (Gidenne et al, 2012).…”

Section: Digestibility Of Nutrientssupporting

confidence: 54%

The effect of 1-week feed restriction on performance, digestibility of nutrients and digestive system development in the growing rabbit

Tůmová

Volek

Chodová

et al. 2016

A 3 to 4 week feed restriction of about 20% to 25% of the free intake is widely applied in rabbit breeding systems to reduce postweaning digestive disorders. However, a short intensive feed restriction is described in few studies and can be beneficial for growing rabbits due to a longer re-alimentation period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ad libitum (AL) and two restriction levels of feeding (50 and 65 g/rabbit per day) applied for 1 week on performance, gastrointestinal morphology and physiological parameters during the restriction and during the re-alimentation period. Rabbits were divided into three experimental groups: AL rabbits were fed AL, R1 rabbits were restricted from 42 to 49 days of age and received 50 g daily (29% of AL) and R2 rabbits were restricted at the same age and were fed 65 g of feed daily (37% of AL). In the 1 st week after weaning and in the weeks after restriction, all the groups were fed AL. During the restriction period, daily weight gain (DWG) in R1 significantly dropped to 11% (experiment 1) and 5% (experiment 2) compared with rabbits in the AL group, although they were fed 29% of AL, whereas in the R2 group it decreased to 20% (experiment 1) and 10% (experiment 2). In the week following feed restriction, DWG in the restricted groups increased (P < 0.001) to 166% and 148% in R1 and to 128% and 145% in R2. Restricted rabbits in both the experiments reached up to 90% to 93% of the final live weight (70 days) of the AL group. Over the entire experimental period, feed restriction significantly decreased feed intake to 85% to 88% of the AL group; however, the feed conversion ratio was lower (P < 0.05) only in experiment 1 (−6% in R1 and −4% in R2). Digestibilities of CP and fat were not significantly higher during the restriction period and during the 1 st week of re-alimentation compared with the AL group. Significant interactions between feeding regime and age revealed the shortest large intestine in the AL group at 49 days of age and the longest at 70 days in the AL and R1 groups. Small intestinal villi were significantly higher and the crypts were significantly deeper in the restricted groups. It could be concluded that short intensive feed restriction increased digestible area in the small and large intestines, including the height of villi and depth of crypts, which might be involved in the compensatory growth and defence mechanism.