The effects of dietary protein concentration on the lactational performance of the rabbit

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Abstract
An experiment was performed to examine the effects of feeding four concentrations of crude protein in the diet to lactating rabbits. Diets A, B, C and D contained 173, 181, 224 and 243 g crude protein per kg dry matter respectively. Each diet was offered at one of two feeding levels: H (330 g/day) or L (280 g/day) with three replicates in each of the eight treatment groups. Milk production and nitrogen balance were measured over a 28-day lactation.Although dry-matter intakes on feeding level H were significantly higher than those on feeding level L the difference diminished as the crude protein concentration decreased. The effect of crude protein intake on doe milk production was estimated therefore by regression analysis with digestible energy intake as a covariate. Both crude protein intake and digestible energy intake alone had significant effects (P < 0·001) on daily milk production and there was also a significant effect (P < 0·05) of crude protein intake after fitting digestible energy intake. Overall the equation was:Milk production (g/day) =17·61 + 0·985 crude protein intake (g/day) + 30·3 digestible energy intake (MJ/day).(±0·448) (±14·8)The relationship between digested nitrogen and nitrogen output as milk was also examined by regression analysis with digestible energy intake as a covariate. This equation was:Nitrogen output in milk (g/day) =0·438 + 0·164 digested nitrogen (g/day) + 0·572 digestible energy intake (MJ/day).(±0·068) (±0·294)The practical implications of feeding high levels of crude protein in the diet to increase milk production and pup weaning weight are discussed.