Effect of restricted feeding and realimentation on compensatory growth, carcass composition and organ growth in rabbit

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Abstract
The effect of restricted feeding and realimentation on growth and carcass composition was studied in 2 experiments, each using 30 rabbits of the Swedish White Domestic breed. The rabbits were slaughtered in groups of 5. The restricted feeding started at 1.0 or 1.6 kg live weight, respectively, restriction lasting to 2.1 or 2.4 kg. The highest slaughter weight was 3.2 kg. The feed restriction was to 60% of the ad lib consumption of the litter mates at the same age or same weight and realimentation ad lib or 100%, respectively. The nutritive value of the pelleted diet was determined in digestibility trials and carcass composition was studied by mincing and chemical analysis of soft tissue. Restricted feeding produced carcasses which, at the same weight, had a lower content of fat, a higher content of protein and the same content of water in the soft tissue. After realimentation, the carcasses had still a lower content of fat, the same content of protein and a higher content of water. Feed consumption tended to be higher in ad lib feeding during realimentation than in continuous ad lib feeding. The restriction had a significant effect on digestibility, which was better in the restricted animals, especially in expt. [experiment] 1. The treatments had no effect on total feed consumption, total feed efficiency or protein retention. There was a tendency to better growth rates during realimentation and in expt. 2 also a tendency to a better daily carcass weight gain, but the differences were not significant. Of the internal organs, liver weight was the most affected by restriction and realimentation.