A study on evaluation of dietary supplementation of organic acids on growth performance and nutrient utilisation in New Zealand White rabbits

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of organic acids on growth performance and nutrient utilisation in New Zealand White rabbits. Feeding experiment was conducted in 24 weaned rabbits of either sex, aged four weeks at Rabbit Breeding Station, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy. Animals were randomly allotted into four dietary treatments following completely randomised design with six replicates in each group, and were reared under uniform managemental conditions for a period of four months. All the experimental rabbits were offered with concentrate mixture (18 CP and 2700 kcal of DE) and green fodder as per ICAR 2013 feeding standards. Treatment groups comprised of T1 (un supplemented), T2 (supplemented with 1 per cent fumaric acid), T3 (supplemented with 0.5 per cent formic acid) and T4 (supplemented with 0.5 per cent fumaric acid and 0.25 per cent formic acid). A digestibility trial of three days duration was conducted at the end of feeding experiment. Parameters recorded during the study included daily feed and fodder intake, weekly body weight, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio, nutrient digestibility and faecal pH. Results revealed no significant (p0.05) differences in dry matter (DM) intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) among the treatment groups. Digestibility coefficients of nutrients except nitrogen free extract (NFE) differed significantly (p0.05) among the supplemented groups. Faecal analysis demonstrated lowered (p