Age effects on in vitro caecal fermentation in rabbits
1999
Marounek, M. (Akademie Ved, Prague-Uhrineves (Czech Republic). Ustav Zivocisne Fyziologie a Genetiky) | Fievez, V. | Mbanzamihigo, L. | Demeyer, D. | Maertens, L.
Four litters of rabbits were sequentially slaughtered at the age of 4 (before weaning), 6, 8 and 11 weeks. Rabbit caecal contents were diluted with buffer and incubated anaerobically for 24 and 48 h. Net productions of volatile fatty acids (VFA), hydrogen and methane were determined. Whereas total VFA production was not influenced by the age of rabbits, molar proportions of acetate and butyrate increased after weaning, with a concomitant decrease of propionate and isoacids proportions. Fermentation shifts were more pronounced in cultures incubated for 48 h. Methane production started in one of four rabbits at the age of 6 weeks. At the age of 11 weeks one of four rabbits still did not produce any methane. In all rabbits, the hydrogen recovery and the methane/VFA ratio increased with the time of incubation. The reductive acetogenesis was partially replaced in the course of incubation by other hydrogen-consuming reactions, apparently by methanogenesis in methane-producing rabbits. In a separate experiment, rabbit milk added at 4.8 % (v/v) significantly decreased production of total VFA, acetate, propionate, isoacids and methane in caecal cultures.
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