CHANGING FEEDING TIME TO AVOID THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF HOT SUMMER ON PERFORMANCE OF GROWING NEW ZEALAND WHITE RABBITS | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Rabbit Science | ||
| Article 17, Volume 27, Issue 2, July 2017, Pages 447-461 PDF (444.93 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejrs.2017.46667 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Mohamed Farghly* 1; Khaled Mahrose2; Mohsen Farghaly3 | ||
| 1Poultry Prod. Dept., Fac. Agric., Assiut Univ., Assiut 71515, Egypt. | ||
| 22Poultry Dept., Fac. Agric., Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt | ||
| 33Animal Prod. De, Egypt.pt., Fac. Agric., Assiut Univ., Assiut 71515,Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding times (at morning or afternoon) on productive performance of growing New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits in the hot summer of Assiut, Upper Egypt. Sixty-five male weaned rabbits, six weeks old of age with an average (734.8g ), were reared in batteries and assigned to 4 groups (16 rabbits/each). Rabbits were divided into randomly five experimental groups (13 rabbits per each), during experimental period from 6 to 16 weeks of age. The first group as a control (C), the feed was offered ad libitum daily. While, in the second treated group (T1), rabbits were fed during10:00 and 16:00 h. The third group (T2) was fed during 16:00 to 22:00 h. The fourth group (T3) was fed during 22:00 to 04:00 h. The fifth group (T4) was fed at 04:00 to 10:00 h during the experimental periods from 6 to16 weeks of age. The results showed that there were significant (P<0.05) differences in body weight (at 12, 14 and 16 weeks of age), body weight gain (during 14-16 and 6-16 weeks of age), feed intake (during 14-16 weeks of age) and feed conversion ratio (during 14-16 and 6-16 weeks of age) among all groups. The rabbits belonging to T3 group had the greatest averages and the lowest feed conversion ratio when compared with the other groups. The rabbits were fed during 2200 to 0400h showed significantly (P<0.05) the highest percentages of dressed weight as compared with their counterparts. However, rabbits of the control group gave significantly (P<0.05) the lowest average of whole fat percentage in comparison with the other experimental groups. Non-significant differences were found in the other carcass characteristics due to changing feeding time. Rabbits of T3 group showed the lowest (P<0.05) values of albumin/ globulin ratio (A/G) and neutrophil/ lymphocytes (N/L) ratio when compared with their counterparts. Glucose concentration was high (P<0.05) in plasma of rabbits of the control group and those fed during 22:00 to 04:00 h. Body temperature of rabbits fed during 22:00 to 04:00 h had the lowest temperature as compared with the other groups. There were non-significant differences in morbidity, mortality and health risk percentages. Conclusively, it could be concluded from the present results, that changing feeding time in growing rabbits during 22:00 to 04:00 h had beneficial impacts on their performance. Finally, feeding growing rabbits during 22:00 to 04:00 as recommended in the hot summer. Key words: Feeding time, growth performance, carcass characteristics, hot summer, rabbits. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding times (at morning or afternoon) on productive performance of growing New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits in the hot summer of Assiut, Upper Egypt. Sixty-five male weaned rabbits, six weeks old of age with an average (734.8g ), were reared in batteries and assigned to 4 groups (16 rabbits/each). Rabbits were divided into randomly five experimental groups (13 rabbits per each), during experimental period from 6 to 16 weeks of age. The first group as a control (C), the feed was offered ad libitum daily. While, in the second treated group (T1), rabbits were fed during10:00 and 16:00 h. The third group (T2) was fed during 16:00 to 22:00 h. The fourth group (T3) was fed during 22:00 to 04:00 h. The fifth group (T4) was fed at 04:00 to 10:00 h during the experimental periods from 6 to16 weeks of age. The results showed that there were significant (P<0.05) differences in body weight (at 12, 14 and 16 weeks of age), body weight gain (during 14-16 and 6-16 weeks of age), feed intake (during 14-16 weeks of age) and feed conversion ratio (during 14-16 and 6-16 weeks of age) among all groups. The rabbits belonging to T3 group had the greatest averages and the lowest feed conversion ratio when compared with the other groups. The rabbits were fed during 2200 to 0400h showed significantly (P<0.05) the highest percentages of dressed weight as compared with their counterparts. However, rabbits of the control group gave significantly (P<0.05) the lowest average of whole fat percentage in comparison with the other experimental groups. Non-significant differences were found in the other carcass characteristics due to changing feeding time. Rabbits of T3 group showed the lowest (P<0.05) values of albumin/ globulin ratio (A/G) and neutrophil/ lymphocytes (N/L) ratio when compared with their counterparts. Glucose concentration was high (P<0.05) in plasma of rabbits of the control group and those fed during 22:00 to 04:00 h. Body temperature of rabbits fed during 22:00 to 04:00 h had the lowest temperature as compared with the other groups. There were non-significant differences in morbidity, mortality and health risk percentages. Conclusively, it could be concluded from the present results, that changing feeding time in growing rabbits during 22:00 to 04:00 h had beneficial impacts on their performance. Finally, feeding growing rabbits during 22:00 to 04:00 as recommended in the hot summer. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Feeding time; Growth performance; carcass characteristics; hot summer; Rabbits | ||
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