Contribution of intensive rabbit breeding to sustainable development. A semi-quantitative analysis of the production in France

[EN] This work was aimed at evaluating the contribution of intensive rabbit breeding to sustainable development using a semi-quantitative method. Nine sustainability indicators were defined for the environmental (energy use, antibiotic use, and biodiversity), economic (profit, specialisation rate, and transmissibility) and social scales of sustainable development. A score (-1, 0 or +1) was given for each indicator using data from French rabbit farms (12,000 farms for economic results and 100 farms for social and environmental data). Scores were added within each scale to obtain a final score. It was revealed from the data analysis that intensive rabbit breeding had some negative contributions to sustainable development, due to the high cost of indirect energy, high use of antibiotics, low biodiversity and little respect for animal welfare, in particular in the scale of environmental sustainability (total score: -2). But it also had positive contributions to sustainable development, particularly in the economic and social scales (total score: +1 each). Indeed, the mean profit, life and working conditions were good and the rabbit meat is of good quality. Therefore, the challenge for rabbit production will be to manage the lawful development and to face the market trends while preserving the maximum of its advantagesFortun-Lamothe, L.; Combes, S.; Gidenne, T. (2009). Contribution of intensive rabbit breeding to sustainable development. A semi-quantitative analysis of the production in France. World Rabbit Science. 17(2):79-85. doi:10.4995/wrs.2009.661798517

Dried chicory root (Cichorium intybus L.) as a natural fructan source in rabbit diet: effects on growth performance, digestion and caecal and carcass traits

[EN] Three experimental diets were formulated including (per kg) 100 g oats (control diet), 50 g chicory root (Chicory 5 diet) or 100 g chicory root (Chicory 10 diet) at the expense of oats. The diets differed with respect to starch and fructan contents. In the performance trial, 120 Hyplus rabbits were randomly allocated to three groups (two rabbits per cage) and fed one of the three experimental diets between 31 and 73 days of age. At the end of the trial period, 20 rabbits per treatment were slaughtered and used for evaluation of carcass traits. In addition, the coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of the diets and caecal traits were determined from 45 to 49 days of age in 10 rabbits per treatment. The diets did not differ significantly in terms of weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, health status or carcass traits of rabbits. The CTTADs of crude protein (P=0.041) and ether extract (P=0.006) were lower in rabbits fed the Chicory 10 diet than in rabbits fed the control diet. The CTTAD of starch (P<0.001) was lower, whereas that of fructans (P<0.001) higher, in rabbits fed the diets based on chicory root. The caecum weight (P=0.037), the weight of its contents (P=0.025) and the lactic acid (P=0.028) concentration were higher in rabbits fed the Chicory 10 diet than in control rabbits. On the contrary, rabbits fed with the chicory diets showed lower caecal pH (P=0.048) than rabbits fed the control diet. There was a tendency towards a lower caecal dry matter content and higher total VFA concentration in rabbits fed the chicory diets. It may be concluded that chicory root can serve as a natural source of inulin-type fructans in rabbit feed. Diet supplementation with 10% dried chicory root beneficially affected the caecal fermentative activity in the rabbits, without significant reductions in the nutritive value of the diet, growth performance or carcass quality.Financial support for this study was provided by the institutional research project MZE 0002701404Volek, Z.; Marounek, M. (2011). Dried chicory root (Cichorium intybus L.) as a natural fructan source in rabbit diet: effects on growth performance, digestion and caecal and carcass traits. World Rabbit Science. 19(3):143-150. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2011.850SWORD14315019

A new method to measure the redox potential (Eh) in rabbit caecum: relationship with pH and fermentation pattern

[EN] This study aimed to assess the anaerobic status of the caecal biotope in the rabbit through the measurement of its redox potential (Eh). Since the caecal content has a high viscosity, the duration of the Eh measurement is high (10 to 20 min) and two methods were compared in 10 week- old rabbits: in vivo vs. post-mortem. In addition, Eh, pH and temperature of the caecal digesta were analysed according to caecotrophy and three periods in the day (soft faeces production: 08:00-10:00 h and 12:00-14:00 h; hard faeces production: 17:00-19:00 h) were compared, using 34 rabbits aged 65 d and weighing 2.3 kg. Caecal Eh decreased 2 min after measurement began, and then stabilised from 20 min onwards (from -152 to 221 mV, P<0.001), in contrast to caecal pH which remained constant over time. Mean values for Eh (at 20 min) and pH were - 219 mV and 6.2 respectively, and did not change according to method or collection period. Only the caecal temperature was 2°C higher (P<0.001) for the in vivo (39°C) than for the post-mortem (37°C) method. Average caecal dry matter and total volatile fatty acid were on average 22 % and 106 mmol/L, and were affected neither by the method nor by the collection period. Caecal Eh was negatively correlated to caecal pH (R²=0.22; P=0.006, n=34), but not to other biotope traits. The Eh measurement in rabbit caecal content could be performed with a minimum recommended duration of 20 min, under anaesthesia or post-mortem. We confi rmed that the rabbit caecal ecosystem is highly anaerobic.This work was partly funded by a grant from Lesaffre Feed Additives (France)Kimsé, M.; Monteils, V.; Bayourthe, C.; Gidenne, T. (2009). A new method to measure the redox potential (Eh) in rabbit caecum: relationship with pH and fermentation pattern. World Rabbit Science. 17(2):63-70. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2009.659637017

Nutritive value of sun-dried grape pomace, incorporated at a low level in complete feed for the rabbit bred under Magrebian conditions

[EN] The nutritive value and potential use of sun-dried grape pomace (g/kg as fed: 140 of crude protein (CP), 529 of neutral detergent fi bre (NDF), 460 acid detergent fi bre , 293 acid detergent lignin) for fattening rabbits was studied by comparing 3 experimental diets containing a low but increasing incorporation rate of grape pomace (GP): 0% (control, GP0), 3% (GP3), and 6% (GP6) in substitution to the control diet (251 g NDF and 175 g CP/kg) formulated with raw materials available in the area of Tiaret (Algeria): barley, wheat bran and straw, soybean meal and faba bean. Three groups of 30 rabbits (individually caged) were fed ad libitum the three diets from weaning (35 d, mean weight 460±83 g) to 77 d of age. The dry matter digestibility was obtained from total and individual faecal collection on all animals (3 x 30), during four consecutive days each week from 42 to 77 d of age. Then, faeces from 10 rabbits per group were selected for nutrient analyses. Intake and weight gain were recorded twice a week during the whole fattening period. Incorporating 3 or 6% of GP in a low fi bre diet impaired from 35 to 77 d growth rate (-8.8% for GP3 and GP6 vs. GP0, P<0.01), feed conversion (+8.5% for GP6 vs. GP0, P<0.01), and dressing out percentage (-2.5% for GP3 and GP6 vs. GP0, P<0.001). The digestibility of organic matter was linearly reduced from 72.8 to 70.0% with the GP incorporation rate (P<0.01), while crude protein digestibility remained unaffected and averaged 78.7%. The predicted nutritive value of sun-dried GP calculated by regression was high but highly variable for digestible energy (9.33±2.01 MJ DE/Kg, raw basis), and particularly for the digestible protein content (81.8±77.2 g DCP/kg). Thus, the sun-dried whole grape pomace could be considered as an alternative fibre source for the rabbit feeding in Magrebian area.Guemour, D.; Bannelier, C.; Dellal, A.; Gidenne, T. (2010). Nutritive value of sun-dried grape pomace, incorporated at a low level in complete feed for the rabbit bred under Magrebian conditions. World Rabbit Science. 18(1):17-25. doi:10.4995/wrs.2010.18.03172518

Replacement of barley grains and dehydrated alfalfa by Sulla Hay (Hedysarum flexuosum) and common reed leaves (Phragmites australis) in fattening rabbits diet

Fifty-five Algerian white population rabbits were used to study the effect of the incorporation of Sulla hay (Hedysarum flexuosum) and common Reed leaves (Phragmites australis) in a pelleted feed on the growth of rabbits. At weaning (35 d), the rabbits were divided in two groups, individually caged and received ad libitum one of the two diets during 42 d. The control diet contained barley, dehydrated alfalfa, soya bean meal and wheat bran. The other diet (RS) was formulated to totally substitute barley and dehydrated alfalfa with Sulla hay and common Reed leaves. Feed intake increased distinctly in the RS group in the second period of fattening (150 vs 126). For the whole fattening period (35-77 d), growth rate was similar in the two groups (35.4 g/d) while the feed conversion was higher (p&lt;0.01) in RS group (3.86 vs 3.23). This confirmed that using these fibre sources in a pelleted feed was valuable for fattening rabbit.Keywords: Rabbit, Growth performances, Phragmites australis, Hedysarum flexuosum

Nutritive value of sun-dried Pueraria Phaseoloides for rabbits under tropical conditions

[EN] The nutritive value of Pueraria phaseoloides (whole plant, full fruit stage, sun-dried) for the growing rabbit was studied by comparing diets containing an increasing incorporation of Pueraria (0 to 40%) in substitution to a basal mixture. The crude protein (CP) concentration of Pueraria was 17.6 % dry matter (DM), while neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre were 51 and 39%, respectively. A basal diet was formulated (51.1% NDF and 19.9% CP, on DM basis) and pelleted. Another 2 diets were obtained through substitution of 20 and 40% of basal diet by Pueraria. Faecal digestibility was measured between 42 and 46 d of age on 12 young rabbits per diet, fed ad libitum since weaning (35 d, 754±108 g). The substitution of 40% of basal diet by Pueraria reduced the digestibility of organic matter, crude protein and NDF from 69 to 55%, 80 to 68%, and 56 to 43%, (P<0.01), respectively. The digestible energy obtained by regression for sun-dried Pueraria was 3.81±0.38 MJ/kg DM, and the digestible protein content of Pueraria was 41.7±6.7 g/kg DM.Akoutey, A.; Kpodekon, MT.; Bannelier, C.; Gidenne, T. (2012). Nutritive value of sun-dried Pueraria Phaseoloides for rabbits under tropical conditions. World Rabbit Science. 20(4):209-213. doi:10.4995/wrs.2012.1230SWORD20921320

Recommendations and guidelines for applied nutrition experiments in rabbits

[EN] The aim of this paper was to draw up a set of recommendations for applied nutrition and feeding trials with rabbits, in relation to certain aspects such as determining the nutritive value of raw materials or diets in growing or reproducing animals, studying digestive physiology and obtaining growth and reproduction parameters. We deal first with animals, size of the sample, housing conditions, diets, handling, measurements, and the data analyses relevant to the design of the experiment are described. Secondly, we give a list of recommended items and include some comments.This study was partly supported by the EUROPEAN COMMISSION (ERAFE program and the COST 848 Action).Fernández-Carmona, J.; Blas, E.; Pascual Amorós, JJ.; Maertens, L.; Gidenne, T.; Xiccato, G.; García, J. (2005). Recommendations and guidelines for applied nutrition experiments in rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 13. doi:10.4995/wrs.2005.516SWORD1