Effect of maternal lysine supplementation on the performance of growing rabbits. Preliminary results

• Main Authors: Zsolt Szendrö, Istvàn Radnai, Edit Biró-Németh, Antonella Dalle Zotte, Szilvia Metzger
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2010-01-01
• Series: Italian Journal of Animal Science
• Subjects: Rabbits, Lysine, Production, Meat
• Online Access: http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/918

The experiment studied the effect of dietary lysine supplementation to rabbit does on the performance and on meat&rsquo;s protein and lysine content of their offspring. Half of the does (n=43) fed control diet (C; Lys: 0.68%), while the other half a lysine supplemented diet (L; Lys: 0.80%) from 3 days before AI until weaning. After kindling, half of the litters of C does were put under C does, while the other half under L does. The same procedure was followed for offspring of L does. After weaning, rabbits fed the same diet (0.68% Lys). Does&rsquo; dietary treatment significantly affected the weaning weight, however, only lysine supplementation during suckling age had negative effect (340 vs 315g for C and L does, respectively; P<0.01). The kit&rsquo;s milk intake, measured at 3rd and 7th day of age, nursed by L does was significantly lower. Other productive and carcass traits did not differ significantly.