Effect of inulin supplementation and age on growth performance and digestive physiological parameters in weaned rabbits

[EN] Three diets were formulated, a control diet (C, 40.7% NDF, 15.1% CP), the same diet but medicated (M, 500 mg/kg oxytetracycline and 50 mg/kg thiamulin), and a third diet obtained substituting 4% of barley with inulin (Frutafi t) in C diet (I). Pannon White does and their litters were randomly allocated into three groups (8/group) at 21 d of lactation and diets offered to the does and kids from 21 d of lactation onwards. After weaning (28 d), growing rabbits (30 cages/ treatment, 2 rabbits/cage) were fed the same diet as before weaning. At 28, 35 and 42 d of age, 6 healthy animals from each group (1 animal/cage) were slaughtered. Live body weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio increased and growth rate decreased with age (P<0.001). Feed intake decreased in rabbits fed I diet compared to those fed M diet (by 11%, P<0.05), with those fed C diet showing an intermediate value. Growth rate from 28 to 35 d of age was not affected by diets, but decreased from 36 to 42 d in rabbits fed I diet compared to those fed C and M diets (P<0.05), with no effect on feed conversion ratio. Inulin did not affect mortality, which was low (¿ 3.3%), but increased morbidity compared to C and M diets (11.7 vs. 2.5%, P<0.05). Diets did not affect caecal weight, pH, cellulase and pectinase activity or microbial counts. Inulin diet decreased caecal xylanase activity (P<0.05) compared to C and M diets, reduced propionic and butyric acid and increased acetic acid concentration compared to M diet, whereas C diet showed intermediate values. Caecal pH and counts of E. coli and total aerobic bacteria increased and pectinase activity decreased (P<0.05) at 35 d of age (compared to 28 and 42 d of age). The number of the strictly anaerobic bacteria decreased and cellulase and xylanase activity increased (P<0.05) at 42 d of age compared to 28 and 35 d. Propionic acid concentration decreased with age from 28 to 42 d (P<0.05) but VFA concentration and acetic and butyric acids proportions did not change. In conclusion, the inclusion of 4% of inulin in the diet of weanling rabbits showed no positive effect.The research was funded by the OTKA (project No. T046999) and the TéT foundation (project No. FR27/2007).The authors are grateful to Dr. L. Maertens (ILVO-Belgium) for his advice on diet formulation.Bónai, A.; Szendró, Z.; Matics, Z.; Fébel, H.; Kametler, L.; Tornyos, G.; Horn, P.... (2010). Effect of inulin supplementation and age on growth performance and digestive physiological parameters in weaned rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 18(3). https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2010.588318

Effect of dietary supplementation of Spirulina and thyme on caecal fermentation of rabbits

ABSTRACT \u2013 Effect of dietary supplementation of spirulina and thyme on caecal fermentation in rabbits The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementation (between the ages of 5-11 weeks) of the growing rabbits\u2019 diet by spirulina or/and thyme on mikrobiota and fermentation activity of caecal bacteria. Experiment was established at the rabbitfarm of Kaposvar University. Rabbits were weaned at 35 days of age, and shared into four groups according to diet. The control diet was formulated with no supplementation, while the others were supplemented with 5% Spirulina or 3% Thyme, or both. Six healthy animals from each group were randomly selected and sacrificed at 35, 56 and 77 days of age. The digestive tract was removed and the caecum was separated. The pH value of caecal content was measured. No diet effect on pH of caecal content was detected. Number of E. coli, total anaerobic and strictly anaerobic bacteria decreased by age, no effect of the diet could be detected. Supplementation with thyme resulted in slightly higher ratio of propionic acid, but the difference was not significant. In conclusion, spirulina and/or thyme supplementation of diet after weaning had no substantial effect on the composition of the caecal microbiota and VFA production

Use of Computed Tomography and Histopathologic Review for Lung Lesions Produced by the Interaction Between Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and Fumonisin Mycotoxins in Pigs

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae has a primary role in the porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC). The objective of this study was to determine whether fumonisin mycotoxins influence the character and/or the severity of pathological processes induced in the lungs of pigs by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Four groups of pigs (n ¼ 7/group) were used, one fed 20 ppm fumonisin B1 (FB1) from 16 days of age (group F), one only infected with M. hyopneumoniae on study day 30 (group M), and a group fed FB1 and infected with M. hyopneumoniae (group MF), along with an untreated control group (group C). Computed tomography (CT) scans of infected pigs (M and MF) on study day 44 demonstrated lesions extending to the cranial and middle or in the cranial third of the caudal lobe of the lungs. The CT images obtained on study day 58 showed similar but milder lesions in 5 animals from group M, whereas lungs from 2 pigs in group MF appeared progressively worse. The evolution of average pulmonary density calculated from combined pixel frequency values, as measured by quantitative CT, was significantly influenced by the treatment and the age of the animals. The most characteristic histopathologic lesion in FB1-treated pigs was pulmonary edema, whereas the pathomorphological changes in Mycoplasma-infected pigs were consistent with catarrhal bronchointerstitial pneumonia. FB1 aggravated the progression of infection, as demonstrated by severe illness requiring euthanasia observed in 1 pig and evidence of progressive pathology in 2 pigs (group MF) between study days 44 and 58

Copper-mediated coupling reactions and their applications in natural products and designed biomolecules synthesis

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