Influence of dietary citric acid and acidulated palm oil soapstock supplementation on growth response, nutrient utilization, blood metabolites, carcass traits and reproductive efficiency of NZW rabbits
1994
Tawfeek, M.I. | El-Gaafary, M.N. | Abd El-Rahim, M.I. | Soad, S.A. (Zagazig University, Zagazig (Egypt). Institute of Efficient Productivity, Department of Animal Wealth)
The present study was conducted to determine the efficacy of citric acid and acidulated palm oil soapstock (APS) supplementation on improving the nutritive value of the commercial rabbit rations. Three groups of 51 weanling rabbits (average body weight, 686 + or - 40 g) received a basal diet without (control) or supplemented with either 0.5 per cent citric acid (group 2) or 1 per cent acidulated palm oil soapstock (group 3). The feeding experiment was extended from the rabbit weaning (5 weeks old) and up to the obtaining of 3 parturitions. Supplementation with either citric acid or APS increased (P less than 0.05) the digestibility of CP, CF, percentage of N-retained and DCP. While the digestibility of EE, OM, DM and the TDN values of the given diets were unaffected significantly by the dietary treatments. Levels of total cholesterol, total lipids and alkaline phosphatase in the blood serum increased (P less than 0.05 or 0.01) by addition of APS, while the levels of such constituents were decreased by citric acid supplementation. The levels of calcium and inorganic phosphorus were increased (P less than 0.05) by the two supplements. The levels of serum GOT, GPT and creatinine were not differed (P less than 0.05) between the treatment groups. Daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, viability, carcass traits and semen characteristics showed in general, insignificant improvement by the dietary supplementation. However, milk yield, bunny weight from birth up to 21 days of age and viability of offspring from birth to 7 days of age were increased (P less than 0.05) by addition of acidulated palm oil soapstock.
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