Feeding fresh chicory (Chicoria intybus) to young rabbits: Performance, development of gastro-intestinal tract and immune functions of appendix and Peyer's patch

Insights into suckling rabbit feeding behaviour: acceptability of different creep feed presentations and attractiveness for sensory feed additives

In young rabbit, digestive disorders are frequently observed around weaning. Stimulating the onset of feed intake in the suckling rabbit might be a way to promote gut health. The aim of this study was to determine the rabbit's acceptability for different feed presentations and its preferences for flavours at an early stage of life. Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of physical form and flavouring on creep feed attractiveness. All the diets tested were provided in the nest from 3 to 17 days, and the daily intake per litter was recorded as of 8 days of age. In the first trial, five feed presentations were tested separately (n = 60 litters). Three dry presentations were chosen: commercial pellet (P), crumb from commercial pellet (cP) and crumb from beet pulp pellet (cBP). Hydrated feeds were also provided with either raw fodder beetroot (B) or a semi-solid feed in agar gel form produced with fodder beetroot juice and pulp (gB). In the second trial, double-choice tests were performed on four feed gels (n = 72 litters), leading to six comparison treatments. These agar gels were made of pellet mash without or with a sensory additive: one non-odorised control gel and three gels with 0.20% banana flavour, 0.06% red berry flavour and 0.10% vanilla flavour, respectively. In the first trial, kits ate more gB in fresh matter than other feed presentations (P < 0.001), with a total intake of 7.0 ± 1.8 g/rabbit from 8 to 17 days. In DM, the total consumption of pellets P (1.6 ± 0.4 g of DM/rabbit) was the highest together with the gB form (1.4 ± 0.4 g of DM/rabbit), whereas cBP was barely consumed (0.3 ± 0.1 g of DM/rabbit). Gel feed supplemented with vanilla was slightly more consumed than other flavoured and non-odorised gels (relative consumption of 57% when compared to control gel; P = 0.001). The gel feed intake was independent of the milk intake but was correlated with the litter weight at 3 days (r = 0.40, P < 0.001). In both trials, rabbit growth before and after weaning was not affected by the type of creep feed provided. Our results confirmed that providing creep feed promotes the solid intake of rabbits at early stages. Gel feed form motivated rabbits to eat and vanilla flavour supplementation increased the feed palatability. Those creep feed characteristics should be explored further for seeking effective stimulation of the onset of the feed intake in suckling rabbit.

Dehydrated Alfalfa and Fresh Grass Supply in Young Rabbits: Effect on Performance and Caecal Microbiota Biodiversity

Simple Summary

The weaning of young rabbits is a critical period that is often accompanied by digestive troubles. Innovations in feeding strategy are urgently needed to preserve rabbit health and to reduce the use of antibiotics. We show here that providing dehydrated alfalfa during weaning is a promising solution to manage health status by favoring the establishment of a proper digestive microbiota.

Abstract

The improvement of rabbit gut microbiota by modifying nutritional components of the feed or favoring its early intake of feed has been previously investigated. The early administration of dehydrated alfalfa (A) or fresh grass (G) for rabbits, during the peri-weaning period (30 and 45 days of age), and their effect on performance and caecal microbiota compared to a standard diet (C) were evaluated. Until 15 days of age, nine litters/group were housed in the maternal cage and milked once per day. From 15 to 30 days, the young rabbits could consume both milk and solid feed (pelleted for C or supplemental feed for A and G). At 30 days of age, the rabbits were weaned and, until 45 days, were kept in single cages following the same dietary protocol. No significant changes were found in the milk intake or the individual weight of young rabbits at 30 and 45 days. The caecal Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (bacterial phyla ratio) increased with age (from 2.43 to 6.05 on average, at 30 and 45 days). The Ruminococcaceae/Lachinospiraceae (bacterial family ratio) was highest in the A group at both ages, followed by G then C. The early administration of dehydrated alfalfa is a promising solution to improve health status by favoring an appropriate digestive microbiota.

Impact of chicory inclusion in a cereal-based diet on digestibility, organ size and faecal microbiota in growing pigs

A total of 30 7-week-old pigs were used to evaluate the effects of chicory inclusion on digestibility, digestive organ size and faecal microbiota. Five diets were formulated: a cereal-based control diet and four diets with inclusion of 80 and 160 g/kg chicory forage (CF80 and CF160), 80 g/kg chicory root (CR80) and a mix of 80 g/kg forage and 80 g/kg chicory root (CFR). Generally, the pigs showed a high growth rate and feed intake, and no differences between the different diets were observed. The coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of energy, organic matter and CP did not differ between the control and CF80, whereas they were impaired in diet CF160. The CTTAD of non-starch polysaccharides and especially the uronic acids were higher (P < 0.05) with chicory inclusion, with highest (P < 0.05) values for diet CF160. Coliform counts were lower and lactobacilli : coliform ratio was higher (P < 0.05) in diet CFR than in the control. Global microbial composition was investigated by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with cloning and sequencing. Analysis of gut microbiota pattern revealed two major clusters where diet CF160 differed from the control and CR80 diet. Chicory forage diets were correlated with an increased relative abundance of one species related to Prevotella and decreased abundance of two other species related to Prevotella. For diet CFR, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus johnsonii was higher than in the other diets. This study shows that both chicory forage and root can be used as fibre sources in pig nutrition and that they modulate the composition of the gut microbiota differently.

Growth performance, digestibility, and gut development of broiler chickens on diets with inclusion of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)

A total of 256 broiler chickens (1 d old) were used in a 32-d growth trial to study the effects of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) forage and root inclusion on growth performance, digestibility, and gut development. The chicory forage originated from 2 harvests (June and September) and was included at 60 and 120 g/kg. The chicory root was included alone at 60 g/kg or together with chicory forage, from both harvests, in equal amounts (60 g/kg). The cereal-based control diet and 7 experimental diets were fed to each of 4 pens of chickens (8 chickens/pen). A higher BW gain and lower feed conversion ratio were found at 13 d of age in chickens fed the 60 g/kg chicory forage diet (P ≤ 0.05), whereas performance did not differ between the control and 60 g/kg chicory root diets. In contrast, a lower performance and digestibility of DM, organic matter, and AME as well as a thinner cecal mucosa layer were found for the 120 g/kg chicory forage diet (P ≤ 0.05). No diet effects on organ parameters or on pH of cecum digesta were detected. The soluble nonstarch polysaccharides fractions of chicory forage did not have any major negative effects on performance and gut development, and chicory forage from the September harvest was seen to have a higher nutritional value than that from the June harvest. Thus, results from the current study suggest that chicory forage is a potentially useful fiber-rich feed ingredient with high palatability for broiler chickens.