View article

Feedstuff tables are presentad including the composition and the nutritive value of 53 raw materials used in compound diets for intensively reared rabbits. Each raw material is characterised by 23 analytical data and its digestible protein and energy values. Because of the importance of the fibre fractions in the nutrition of the rabbit, special efforts have been done to characterise the carbohydrate complex. The digestibility data were selected after a compilation of original literatura data and a discussion between the authors. The methodology used, in the different in vivo assays, was evaluated accurately in order to judge the reliability of the data. Besides digestible and metabolisable energy values are also presentad because they lead to a better mutual comparison between raw materials for formulation purposes. Finally, attention has been drawn that the presentad nutritiva values fit well with the proposed nutrient composition and show coherence in each category of feedstuffs.