Investigation of early feed intake: does suckling rabbit ...€¦ · High incidence of digestive disorders around weaning Context of the study antibiotics Hypothesis : Early feeding

EAAP Annual Meeting 28th August 2018 Session 27

Investigation of early feed intake: does suckling rabbit have pellet preferences?

C. Paës, L. Fortun-Lamothe, T. Gidenne, K. Bebin, C. Davoust, J. Duperray, C. Gohier, G. Rebours, A. Debrusse, P. Aymard, S. Combes

Charlotte PAËS PhD Student

Supervised by Dr. Combes and Dr. Gidenne

High incidence of digestive disorders around weaning

Context of the study

antibiotics

Hypothesis : Early feeding could guide microbiota implantation process, thus improve rabbit health

No access to feedbefore 15-17d

2

Nat

ion

al W

ildlif

eFe

der

atio

n

High incidence of digestive disorders around weaning

Context of the study

antibiotics

Hypothesis : Early feeding could guide microbiota implantation process, thus improve rabbit health

Objectives : (1) Gain more knowledge on early feeding ability(2) Determine how to stimulate pups solid feed intake with attractivepellet presentation

No access to feedbefore 15-17d

3

Nat

ion

al W

ildlif

eFe

der

atio

n

3

Milking control

4

d4

d9d32

Material and methods : animal husbandry

18

3 35 : weaning

Milking control

2 kinds of pellets

available

5

: feed in the nest(daily measurements from d8)

: feed outside the nest

d4

d9d32

Material and methods : animal husbandry

15 18

3 35 : weaning

Milking control

2 kinds of pellets

available

6

: feed in the nest(daily measurements from d8)

: feed outside the nest

: classical fattening

d4

d9d32

Material and methods : animal husbandry

15 18 70

Dynamic of suckling rabbit early feed intake

From 8d to 17d, total consumption of 2.5 g of DM/rabbitand total dry feed consumption = 0.6% of total fresh milk consumption

7

Trial 1. and trial 2.

0.00

0.25

0.50

0.75

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Age (days)

Ea

rly fe

ed

in

take

(

g o

f D

M/d

ay/r

ab

bit)

Dynamic of suckling rabbit early feed intake

From 8d to 17d, total consumption of 2.5 g of DM/rabbitand total dry feed consumption = 0.6% of total fresh milk consumption

8

Trial 1. and trial 2.

3.8

19.3 18.3

36.4

65.1

72

83.3

93.2

0

25

50

75

8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Age (days)

Litte

rs c

on

su

min

g fe

ed

in

th

e n

est (%

)

1

2

3

90 100 110 120 130

Litter weight at 3 days (g/rabbit)

To

tal fe

ed

in

take

be

twe

en

15

an

d 1

7d

(

g o

f D

M/r

ab

bit)

Milk consumption (g/rabbit)

60

80

100

120

Dynamic of suckling rabbit early feed intake : investigation of inter-litter variability

Which variables affect feedconsumption from 7 to 20 days-old ?

Effects p-value

Age ***

Feed treatment NS

Litter weight at 3 d ***

Milk consumption NS

Nest quality NS

9

Trial 2.

R2 = 0.40 (p=0.05)

Material and methods : experimental feed

Trial 1.

Diam (mm)

Tested in pairs

→ 6 treatments (n=60 litters)

A

2

10

B C D

3 4 6

0

25

50

75

100

AB AC AD BC BD CD

Treatment

Re

lative

fe

ed

co

nsu

mp

tio

n (

%)

Pellet

A

B

C

D

Example treatment AB :

relative consumption pellet A=𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐴

𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐴 +𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐵∗ 100

Nest

11

Trial 1.

**

Did pellet diameter affect suckling rabbit consumption ?

0

25

50

75

100

AB AC AD BC BD CD

Treatment

Re

lative

fe

ed

co

nsu

mp

tio

n (

%)

Pellet

A

B

C

D

0

25

50

75

100

AB AC AD BC BD CD

Treatment

Re

lative

fe

ed

co

nsu

mp

tio

n (

%)

Pellet

A

B

C

D

Example treatment AB :

relative consumption pellet A=𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐴

𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐴 +𝑄𝑢𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐵∗ 100

o **** ******

Nest Feeders

12

Trial 1.

**

o P<0.1

Did pellet diameter affect suckling rabbit consumption ?

Relationship between feed preference and physical pellets characteristics

FeedDiameter

(mm)Hardness (MPa)

Durability

Pellet A 2.0 1.2 ab 95 a

Pellet B 3.0 1.4 b 95 a

Pellet C 4.0 1.4 b 92 a

Pellet D 6.0 1.1 a 86 b

How to explain these preferences ?

▪ No clear preferences for a specific pellet in the nest▪ Outside nest : pellet A is attractive / aversion for pellet D

Small diameter might explain preferences for A over B and CLarge diameter and low durability might explain low palatability of D

13

Trial 1.

Material and methods : experimental feed

Trial 1.

Diam (mm)

Tested in pairs

→ 6 treatments (n=60 litters)

A

Trial 2.

2

⌀ 2,5 mm

4

4.8

5.6

Different compression rates (= die channel length / die diameter)

Testedin pairs

→ 6 treatments (n=63 litters)

✓Pellet physical and chemical properties controlled 14

⌀ 4 mm

4.6

5

6

B C D

3 4 6

E

F

G

C

H

I

0

25

50

75

100

CH CI HITreatment

Re

lative

co

nsu

mp

tio

n (

%)

Pellet

C

H

I

Did compression rates affect suckling rabbit consumption ?

15

Nest Feeders⌀ 4 mm

⌀ 2,5 mm : no compression rate effect

*

0

25

50

75

100

CH CI HITreatment

Re

lative

co

nsu

mp

tio

n (

%)

Pellet

C

H

I

**

Trial 2.

Incr

easi

ng

com

pre

ssio

n r

ate

H

I

✓First success to stimulate and evaluate kits consumption from 8dwith pellets

✓Better knowledge of early feeding consumption :

16

• Low quantities compared to milk (0.1 - 2%)

• Variability in the feeding onset and in the amount consumed

• Significant effect of the initial litter weight

• Pellet diameter can modify palatability outside of the nest→ small diameter pellet may be of interest

Conclusion

✓First success to stimulate and evaluate kits consumption from 8dwith pellets

✓Better knowledge of early feeding consumption :

17

• Low quantities compared to milk (0.1 - 2%)

• Variability in the feeding onset and in the amount consumed

• Significant effect of the initial litter weight

• Pellet diameter can modify palatability outside of the nest→ small diameter pellet may be of interest

Conclusion

Prospects :Analysis of early dietary intervention on growth

performance, microbiome composition and rabbit health

Thanks for your attention !

18Contact information : [email protected]

19

Material and methods : animal husbandry (2)

Between 15d and 18d :

Doe

Doe feeder

Kits

Kit

s fe

ed

er

Kits fe

ed

er

Nest

Pellet 1Pellet 2

20

0

25

50

75

100

AB AC AD BC BD CD

Treatment

Re

lative

fe

ed

co

nsu

mp

tio

n

fro

m 1

3d

to

17

d (

% o

f to

tal fe

ed

co

nsu

me

d in

nu

mb

er

of p

elle

ts)

Pellet

A

B

C

D

Nest

Data in number of pellets

0

25

50

75

100

AB AC AD BC BD CD

Treatment

Re

lativ

e f

ee

d c

on

sum

ptio

n

fro

m 1

3d

to

17

d (

%)

Pellet

A

B

C

D

Data in grams

21

0

25

50

75

100

AB AC AD BC BD CD

Treatment

Re

lative

co

nsu

mp

tio

n

fro

m 1

5d

to

32

d in

th

e fe

ed

er

(%

of to

tal fe

ed

co

nsu

me

d in

nu

mb

er

of p

elle

ts)

Pellet

A

B

C

D

Data in number of pellets

Feeders

0

25

50

75

100

AB AC AD BC BD CD

Treatment

Re

lative

fe

ed

co

nsu

mp

tio

n

fro

m 1

5d

to

32

d (

%)

Pellet

A

B

C

D

Data in grams