title: Effect of differently structured and processed feedstuffs on diverse parameters of ethology and digestibility of growing rabbits and their influence on morphological structures in small intestine.
abstract: The influence of different feedstuffs on parameters of digestion and ethology in growing rabbits (duration and number of feed intake, needed masticatory movements, pH value in stomach and small intestine, dry matter content of stomach chyme, level of destruction of cell structures in small intestine) was analysed. 384 five weeks old rabbits were fed with one of three feedstuffs: pellets (mean fibre length = 3 mm), fibre blocks (mean fibre length = 40 mm) and hay-oat-beat-ration (length of hay fibre ≥ 70 mm). The masticatory movements and duration for uptake 0.1 g of feedstuffs were measured in a special observation box. Rabbits in group cages were observed by 24 h video recording and duration and numbers of feed intakes were documented. After 8 weeks rabbits were slaughtered and pH values measured in stomach chyme (and dry matter content) and small intestine. Samples of them were taken and histologically examined (total length of villi and crypts, width of villi and degree of destruction determined by scores from 0 [= no destruction] to 3 [= severe destruction of villi]). Pellets lead to a faster feed intake with a lower number of masticatory movements. This equates a minor feeding time per feed intake and a higher amount of feedstuff in a shorter time. The dry matter content in stomach chyme increases and pH value was significantly higher there, but lower in duodenum. They also showed a significantly higher degree of destruction of villi, a shorter length and a larger width of villi than others.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hinchliffe
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brendle
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weirichl
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoy
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000166:cytology; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D011817:Rabbits / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*