The effect of Yucca schidigera extract in diet of rabbits on nutrient digestibility and qualitative parameters in caecum

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of yucca (Yucca schidigera) powder extract added to the rabbit feed mixtures. The animals of experimental group (EG1) were fed diet enriched with supplement of Yucca schidigera dry extract 5g/100 kg feed; rabbits of EG2 had diet enriched with yucca dry extract 20g/100 kg feed for 42 days. The control group (CG) was fed untreated pellet diet. The experiment was carried out on commercial hybrid Hycole rabbits. Between 65 and 70 days of age, 3 male rabbits from each group were selected for digestibility tests using the balance method. The faeces were collected individually during 5 consecutive days according to the European reference method for rabbit digestion trials. Chemical analysis of the diets and faeces for dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, crude fat, nitrogen free extract, organic matter and starch was carried out according to the same method. The caecal samples from each of three slaughtered rabbits were collected for analysis; pH, VFA, ammonia-N and lactic acid were determined. The rabbits in our experiment showed the lowest coefficients of digestibility of crude fibre, and higher digestibility of crude protein, crude fat and organic matter, but the differences were not statistically significant comparing with control diet. The effect of yucca extract addition is manifested in reducing ammonia levels in the caecum of rabbits.