ÉVOLUTION, AU COURS DE LA CROISSANCE, DES CARACTÉRISTIQUES DE LA CONSOMMATION D'ALIMENTS SOLIDE ET LIQUIDE DU LAPIN DOMESTIQUE NOURRI AD LIBITUM

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The amount and distribution of solid and liquid food intake were recorded graphically in 9 New Zealand male rabbits during their 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th and 18th wk of age. The feeding behavior of the growing rabbits was characterized by the absence of real meals, with food and water intakes of very irregular patterns of both amount and interval, circadian intake distribution, closely related to the presence or absence of light, and a progressive increase of nocturnal feeding. Intake of food and water increased up to the 15th wk of age and decreased at the 18th wk. Between 6-9th wk this increase was due to a greater number of nocturnal meals varying only slightly in volume. The frequency of the diurnal meals tended to decrease. The mean volume of both diurnal and nocturnal meals was the same whatever the age of the animals. The water/DM [dry matter] ratio increased with age (from 1.86 to 2.22). The circadian distribution of feeding was characterized. A period of low diurnal feeding activity of short duration (3 h) during the 6th wk of age and one of longer duration (5-7 h) during the 18th wk of age were noted. At the 6th wk of age, there was a period of lower nocturnal food intake during nights, not noted in older animals. A peak was observed in the feeding activity within the hour preceding darkness. Water intake represented this peak in animals of 6 wk of age, but not in those of 18 wk. At this age, feeding activity was maximum at the end of the night.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: