Formulation of a laboratory rabbit diet
Chou, S.T.; Robinson, G.A.
Laboratory Animal Science 22(1): 48-55
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0023-6764 PMID: 4334436 Document Number: 47561
New Zealand rabbits were given a basal diet of Master Rabbit Pellets (MRP) (Maple Leaf Mills Ltd., Toronto) or a diet containing rolled oats and lucerne in the ratio of 8:1 (OL1) as meal or pellets or 1:4 (OL3) with sucrose, vitamins and minerals or a pelleted mixture of equal amounts of OL1 and MRP for from 29 to 54 days. Supplement of: 0.25 or 0.5% NaCl was given in the diet or 0.9% NaCl in the drinking water; 0.5% NaCl and 5% soya bean protein in OL3; a mixture of 1% Ca3(PO4)2, 1% Ca(H2PO4)2, 5% NaCl, 0.002 KI, 2% maize oil, 5% soya bean protein and 0.3% methionine in OL1. Feed intake, growth, efficiency of feed conversion and retention of injected 131I by plasma were estimated. Pelleting OL1 increased intake and bodyweight gain but intake, efficiency and weight gain were less than on MRP. NaCl had no effect in pelleted OL1 but increased intake, gain and efficiency with the diet as meal. Plasma 131I retention was more on pelleted or milled OL1 than on MRP. Growth decreased in rabbits given OL1 supplemented with calcium phosphates. Plasma 131I retention decreased and efficiency increased when additional limiting ingredients were added to OL1 with the calcium phosphates. NaCl in drinking water decreased gain, intake and plasma 131I retention on MRP. Supplements of 0.25 or 0.5% NaCl did not increase intake or gain of rabbits on OL1 but either amount of NaCl decreased plasma 131I retention to a similar extent. When OL1 and MRP were mixed growth and intake increased and plasma 131I retention decreased. OL3 gave greater intake and growth than OL1, but plasma 131I decreased greatly. Supplement of 0.25% NaCl to MRP had no significant effect on intake, gain or plasma 131I retention. When OL3 was supplemented with 0.5% NaCl and 5% soya bean protein efficiency increased. OL3 supplemented with NaCl and soya bean protein was as good as MRP for intake, growth, Hb value and packed cell volume, and plasma 131I retention was not significantly different between the 2 groups.