Avaliação do valor nutricional de alimentos comerciais, com ou sem inclusão de feno e impacto na saúde de coelhos da raça Lionhead

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional value of commercial foods available on the Brazilian market and their effects on the health of Lionhead rabbits. Twenty-four (24) adult rabbits aged 4.5 ± 1.81 years, of both sexes, with an average body weight of 1.2 ± 0.92 kg, were admitted. Four (4) dietary treatments were considered: RSP, where the animals received Super Premium feed (n = 6); RP, where the animals received Premium feed (n = 6); RPF, where the animals received Premium feed and hay ad libitum (n = 6); and REF, where the animals received production purpose feed and hay ad libitum (n = 6). The diets were fed for 80 days. The following health parameters assessed were hematological variables (hematocrit, globular volume, hemoglobin and platelets), lymphocyte count, biochemical panel (AST, GGT, urea, creatinine, triglycerides, total cholesterol and albumin), urinary parameters (urinary density and pH), dental parameters (assessment of growth rate and attrition of incisor, pre-molar and molar teeth); and determination of the total tract apparent digestibility coefficients of the nutrients in the diets, through total faeces collection. The health parameters were not influenced by the dietary treatments (p > 0.05). The apparent digestibility of DM, OM and EE did not differ between the dietary treatments (p > 0.05). The RCF feed had lower digestibility (p < 0.001) of ENN, CP, EE and CE compared to the other treatments, while the RSP feed had higher apparent digestibility of FB. The bromatological analysis of the feeds showed that the BF content declared in the Production purpose feed was uncomplient, with the analyzed BF content being higher than the maximum indicated in the guaranteed levels on its label. The chemical composition of the other feedstuffs was in line with the declared guaranteed levels, although they had CP and CF contents that differed from the ideal range considered for the species so far. In general, the nutritional value of food intended for production was lower than that of food intended for pet rabbits, which in general had higher digestibility. The impact of feed from different commercial segments on the health parameters of rabbits was considered minimal under the conditions of this study. Hay supplementation seems to have affected the animals in a positive and recreational way, with a low impact on the use of nutrients in the premium food, but it seems to have been beneficial when associated with low-fibre home-bred food, providing dental wear comparable to high fibre super premium food. For more in-depth conclusions, long- term studies and a larger sample of commercial foods for pet rabbits are needed.