Effects of Different Feeding Restriction Standards on Growth Performance of SPF New Zealand Rabbits
This experiment was to study the effects of feeding restriction on the growth performance of SPF New Zealand rabbits by regulating feed intake.Taking the average body mass of three-month-old rabbits reaching 2.5 kg as the evaluation index,the optimal feeding standard was screened,so as to reduce the feeding cost and im-prove the feed utilization rate.Test 1(pre-test):Feed intake was restricted from 47 days of age,and 24 rabbits were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups with 8 rabbits in each group.The feeding restriction period was 47-89 days of age,and the feed intake of control group was 6.4%of rabbit's body weight(g),while that of treatment group 1 and treatment group 2 was 5.4%and 4.8%,respectively.Test 2:Feed intake was restricted from 45 days of age,and 64 rabbits were randomly divided into 2 treatment groups with 32 rabbits in each group,half male and half female.The feeding restriction period was 45-94 days of age.The feed intake of treatment group 1 and treat-ment group 2 was 6.0%and 5.5%of their body mass,respectively.The results of test 1 showed that average body weight,average daily gain and feed conversion ratio of SPF rabbits at three months of age were significantly differ-ent in the three groups of 6.4%,5.4%and 4.8%(P<0.05).Only in 6.4%and 5.4%groups,the average weight of SPF rabbits at three months of age reached more than 2.5 kg,so the suitable range of feeding restriction standard is between 5.4%and 6.4%of body weight.The results of test 2 showed that average body weight of SPF rabbits in 6.0%and 5.5%groups at three months of age both reached more than 2.5 kg,and the difference was not significant(P>0.05).The average feed intake of each rabbit in 5.5%group was 94g during the test period,and feed utilization rate was higher.In summary,the optimal feed intake of rabbits with restricted feeding is 5.5%of body mass(g),which can obtain a higher feed utilization rate on the basis of an average body mass of 2.5 kg at the age of three months.
SPF New Zealand rabbitsfeed restrictionthree months oldgrowthperformance