Nutrient Utilization and Growth Performance in Rabbits as Affected by Housing System and Yeast Supplementation
2014
Khanna, Sujoy | Gulati, H.K. | Sihag, Sajjan
Thirty two weaned New Zealand White rabbits (45 days old) of both sexes were randomly divided into four treatment groups. The rabbits in treatment groups T₁ and T₂ were housed in cage system while rabbits under treatment groups T₃ and T₄ were housed in pen system. Rabbits in groups T₁ (cage system) and T₃ (pen system) were fed standard concentrate diets without yeast supplementation while in T₂ (cage system) and T₄ (pen system) groups, they were fed concentrate diets supplemented with 2% yeast (Saccharomyces cereviciae and Candida rugosa, 2 × 10¹³ cfu). At 13 weeks of age, rabbits raised under cage system had higher body gain as compared to reared under pen housing system. Similarly, 2% yeast supplementation in the concentrate mixture of rabbits resulted in faster (P<0.05) body weight gain than the rabbits raised without yeast supplementation irrespective of the housing system. The feed consumption and feed efficiency were similar in all the treatments. Rabbits fed 2% yeast supplementation in cage or pen system had higher (P<0.05) DCP (11.92, 12.10 vs. 11.28, 11.26%) and TDN (63.22, 63.30 vs. 59.32, 61.20%) than non-supplemented groups in cage or pen system. The digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE and NFE were enhanced significantly (P<0.05) by supplementing yeast. The results of the study showed that rabbits reared in cage system and supplemented with 2% yeast in their standard diet showed improved growth performance and nutrient utilization.
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