Evaluation and Nutrient Utilization And Intestinal Environment Of Rabbit As Influenced By Diets Treated With Some Organic Acids.

ABSTRACT

The present study was to evaluate nutrient utilization and intestinal environment of rabbit as influenced by feed treated with some organic acid (Acetic acid, Citric acid and Formic acid). Twenty four weaned rabbits at about 42 days of age were divided into four experimental groups. Control group (T1 ) were given a diet without organic acid treatment, while T2 , T3 and T4were fed diet treated with acetic acid, citric acid and formic acid respectively. The treatment level was 0.5% of the diet. Measurements taken were nutrient digestibility, the pH, and microbial population in the gastrointestinal tract. There were no significant differences among the rabbit fed control and organic acid treated diets in nutrient digestibility coefficient. The weights of the intestine were significantly different, T4was highest (5.60 g), followed by T (4.99 g) while the weight of stomach, and caecal pH, were not significantly different. Rabbit fed organic acid treated diets had a lower pH in the small intestine than the control group. Also, variation in pH was detected in large intestine, with T4and T2 group having the lowest pH compared to the control group. There were also no significant differences in the microbial population in the small intestine, large intestine and caecum. In conclusion, the organic acid significantly reduced post weaning mortality, pH of the intestine, without affecting nutrient digestibility and microbial population of the intestinal tract and caecum of rabbits