Rabbit

Question 1

What’s special about the rabbit digestive system?

Answer 1

• Peristaltic action
  -Moves large particles (>0.5mm) through colon
  -Indigestible fibre (Lignocellulose)
  -Hard fecal pellets
• Antiperistaltic action
  -Moves smaller particles (<0.3mm) and soluble material into cecum
  -Digestable or Fermentable fibre
  -Soft feces or Cecotrophs (eaten by the rabbit)

Question 2

What does the reingested soft rabbit poop provide?

Answer 2

• Microbial Protein
• Vitamins
• Volatile Fatty Acids (small amount)

Question 3

Fibre in rabbit diet?

Answer 3

• Rabbits need a generous amount of dietary fibres
  -Promotes intestinal motility
  -Minimizes intestinal disease
  -May absorb bacterial toxins (eliminated via hard feces)
• Low fibre increases the risk of intestinal problems

Question 4

Cecum fermentation produces?

Answer 4

• VFA - Volatile Fatty Acids
• They are responsible for 40% of the calorie requirement
  -Also help maintain the pH in the Cecum

Question 5

Which vitamins ate necessary in a rabbit diet?

Answer 5

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E

Bacteria in the gut synthesize B and K vitamin
-Disease and stress may increase the daily vitamin requirements

Question 6

Main Nutrient requirements of Rabbits?

Answer 6

• Crude Protein = Lysine and Sulphur containing AA
• Digestable Fibre
• Crude Fibre
• Minerals = Ca, P
• Vitamins = A, D, E

Question 7

Nutritional requirements of Rabbit varies according to?

Answer 7

• Age (young, adult, senior)
• Productive preformance (Gestation, Lactation

Question 8

Weaning of rabbits

Answer 8

• Starting with High Fibre/Low Starch
• 2 weeks later High Strach

Question 9

During Lactation rabbist need higher content of?

Answer 9

• Protein
  -At least 18% Crude Protein
• Energy
• Ca
• P

Question 10

Minimum crude fibre content for rabbits?

Answer 10

• 10%

Question 11

Diet for rabbits?

Answer 11

Forage based diet
* low energy
* fibrous feedstuff
e.g. Alfalfa or grass meal, Grass, Carrots