PRODUCTION RESULTS OF RABBITS FED DIETS CONTAINING NO COCCIDIOSTATICS DURING THE FATTENING PERIOD

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine whether meat-type rabbits can be fed a diet without coccidiostatics during the fattening period. The effect of feeding two pelleted diets was compared during the experiment. The control diet was supplemented with the coccidiostatic drug robenidine, while the experimental diet contained no coccidiostatics. Over the experimental period the animals were weighed at 35, 56, 70, 77 and 90 days of age. Feces samples were taken for parasitological analysis and assayed for the presence of coccidia. Mortality rates were determined at particular stages of the experiment. It was found that a diet without the coccidiostatic drug had no statistically significant effect on the final body weights of rabbits. It was also demonstrated that coccidian infection rates and mortality rates were slightly higher in the experimental group.

Keywords

• rabbit
• nutrition
• coccidiostatics
• production results.