The nutritional value of rabbit meat when using stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) in the ration of rabbits

Abstract

The article presents the results of studying the influence of the supplementary feeding with stinging nettle hay on the ration balance, biochemical indicators, nutritional value, and keeping quality of rabbit meat. It was established that the replacement of 5% and 25% of coarse fodder with stinging nettle hay resulted in an increase in the content of crude (by 3.5-20.3%), digestible protein (by 4.4-22.8%) and carotene (by 3.3-22.7%) in terms of nutritional value. Growing rabbits with the introduction of a dosage of 5% and 25% of the stinging nettle hay of the nutritional value of coarse fodders was characterized by the least feeds per 10 g of the gain as compared to the content in the traditional ration (1.17 kg of feed units/day). The introduction of 5% of the nettle hay into the rabbit ration as compared to the control group: influenced a decrease in the moisture content (the power of influence of -10,38%, P<0.001), an increase in the content of protein (the power of influence of 34.2%, P<0.01), zinc (the power of influence of 35.6%, P<0.01) and manganese (the power of influence of 34.2%, P<0.01) in the rabbit meat.

Effects of Urtica urens in the Feed of Broilers on Performances, Digestibility, Carcass Characteristics and Blood Parameters

“…However, in lambs fed with Urtica cannabina , there were higher amounts of butyrate, propionate, and total VFA, which resulted in a significant increase in the width of papillae on both sides of the rumen [ 53 ]. However, in [ 9 ], a trial using nettle-fed rabbits did not influence the amount of VFA.…”

“…Some studies have attributed nutritional properties and functional biological activities to the stinging nettle [ 5 ], and it is considered an interesting component of animal feed [ 6 ]. Its effects on performance and health have been studied in quail [ 7 ], rabbits [ 8 , 9 ], rats [ 10 ], farmed fish [ 11 ] and broilers [ 12 ]. In the aerial parts of Urtica urens , the main components are lipids and proteins [ 13 ], like glutamic acid, aspartic acid, alanine, and leucine, which are the major amino acids in Urtica urens and Urtica dioica [ 14 ].…”