Diverse methanogens, bacteria and tannase genes in the feces of the endangered volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi)

Background The volcano rabbit is the smallest lagomorph in Mexico, it is monotypic and endemic to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. It is classified as endangered by Mexican legislation and as critically endangered by the IUCN, in the Red List. Romerolagus diazi consumes large amounts of grasses, seedlings, shrubs, and trees. Pines and oaks contain tannins that can be toxic to the organisms which consume them. The volcano rabbit microbiota may be rich in bacteria capable of degrading fiber and phenolic compounds. Methods We obtained the fecal microbiome of three adults and one young rabbit collected in Coajomulco, Morelos, Mexico. Taxonomic assignments and gene annotation revealed the possible roles of different bacteria in the rabbit gut. We searched for sequences encoding tannase enzymes and enzymes associated with digestion of plant fibers such as cellulose and hemicellulose. Results The most representative phyla within the Bacteria domain were: Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria for the young rabbit sample (S1) and adult rabbit sample (S2), which was the only sample not confirmed by sequencing to correspond to the volcano rabbit. Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria were found in adult rabbit samples S3 and S4. The most abundant phylum within the Archaea domain was Euryarchaeota. The most abundant genera of the Bacteria domain were Lachnoclostridium (Firmicutes) and Acinetobacter (Proteobacteria), while Methanosarcina predominated from the Archaea. In addition, the potential functions of metagenomic sequences were identified, which include carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism. We obtained genes encoding enzymes for plant fiber degradation such as endo 1,4 β-xylanases, arabinofuranosidases, endoglucanases and β-glucosidases. We also found 18 bacterial tannase sequences.

Effect of dietary inclusion levels of mechanically extracted neem seed cake on performance of young rabbits

A feeding trial lasting 56 days was conducted using forty (40) weaned rabbits of mixed breeds with uncrage initial live weight of 669+20g to determine the effect of dietary inclusion levels of mechanically extracted neem seed cake on their performance and carcass characteristics. The animals were assigned lo five treatments based on their initial live weight and ser. There were eight individually caged rabbits per treatment. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (20% CP). The control diet was based on maize and soybean meal. The neem seed cake was included at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% levels. Feed and wuler were offered ad libitum. Weekly feed intake and body weight changes were determined and feed efficiency calculated. At the end of the 56-day experiment, 5 rabbits per treatment were removed and slaughtered for carcass evaluation. The results showed that rabbits fed the 10 or 20% dietary levels of mechanically extracted neem seed cake hud growth performance and carcass characteristics that were statistically comparable (P>0.05) to those fed soybean meal (control) diet. Further increase in the dietary inclusion levels of the neem seed cake up to 30 or 40% resulted in significantly (P<0.05) depressed growth performance. The results favour the use of mechanically extracted neem seed cake in young rabbit diet up to the level of 20%.

Influence of methionine from different sources on productivity traits of young rabbits

The article presents the research results of the compound feed with different methionine sources and its effect on live weight, slaughter rates, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, chemical and amino acid composition of the longest back muscle, blood morphological rates of young rabbits. The results of the study indicate that the rabbit live weight of the 2nd experimental group, which has got to the compound feed with synthetic LM at the age of 70, 77 and 84 days significantly exceeds the control group by 2.1, 2.5, 2.6% and (P<0.01) respectively. Feeding on the compound feed with the addition of L methionine contributes an increase in the indwelling mass by 2.7 (P<0.05). The kidney carcass mass increases by 5.6% (p <0.05), the liver mass – by 10.6% and the longest back muscle mass – by 0.1%. The slaughter yield is higher in the second group than in the control group. In the third experimental group is higher by 2.7 2.8% respectively. . The young rabbits consuming the ration with LM have higher digestibility indices than control group. The second group exceeds the control by 0.3, 0.3, 0.4, 0.7 and 0.1%, respectively with the digestibility of organic matter, protein, fat, fiber. The nitrogen balance data analysis shows that nitrogen has been fed by 0.4 g or 0.8% more in the second group than in the control group. The emptied feces have less nitrogen by 0.01 g or 0.8% in the second group and by 0.01 g or 0.8% less than in the control group. The compound feed with the addition of LM affectes the chemical composition of the longest rabbit back muscle. There is more protein by 0.03%. in the muscles of the second experimental group than in the control sample. The young rabbits of the second experimental group have a higher content of amino acids in the muscles and they outperforme the control analogues of the third experimental group by 1.9 and 4.2% respectively. The rabbits feeding on LM fodder have higher morphological blood rate. Analyzing the above, we can conclude that the feed with methionine content of 0.41% and its source in the form of L methionine, probably improves the performance of young rabbit meat productivity. Key words: rabbits, methionine, live weight, compound feed, slaughter output, digestibility, nitrogen balance, amino acid, morphology.

Trace elements transformation in young rabbit muscles

According to scientific publications, transformation of nutrients in the rabbit feed should be studied with regard to rabbit nutritional specifics that is caused by differences of alimentary canal of the species, involving microorganism role in the digestive process. In the experiment, The research considered the transformation of essential micronutrients of feed (Zn, Cu, and Mn) and their concentration in muscle carcasses of rabbits of differentl age and origine, in industrial rabbit production in Prykarpatyia. Feeding norms and nutrient requirements for experimental animals were performed according to rabbit nutrition requirements approved by the VIII International Rabbit Congress (EGRAN tables, 2004). It has been found out that supplying rabbits of different genotypes with the same nutrition affect the retention of studied micronutrients in certain muscles carcasses differently. The experiment demonstrated that the longest back muscle of a 3-month old new hybrid rabbit (NTC) contented the highest amount of zinc and accounted 6.78 � 0.118 mg kg-1 which was by 1.43 mg kg-1 (p =0.001) more than in the rabbits of the local chinchilla (second group). It is proved that the greatest amount of cuprum was concentrated in the hip carcasses of rabbits of the first group (NTC). This rabbit genotype (first group) dominated over the local breed (the second group) regarding this indicator, when the animals were 2 and 3 months old, by 0.15 and 0.49 mg kg-1 respectively (p=0.01). The content of manganese in the muscles of the hips was also higher in the newly-selected three-breed during all the farming period. Thus, at the age of 2 months, rabbits of the first group outweighed their peers in the second group by 6.52 mg kg-1 (p=0.05), at the age of 3 months - by 1.57 mg kg-1 (p=0.01) and at the age of 4 months - by 0.89 mg kg-1 (p0.01). The three-breed rabbit genotype of of the first group was dominated by pure-breed analogues of the second group in terms of weight gain and feed conversion by 7.5 and 3.4% respectively. Due to better transformation of these trace elements, in the body of intensively growing rabbits, the environment is less polluted. The highest concentration of these trace elements was found in the rabbit muscles of both groups in the 3rd month of life. The highest content of the micronutrients studied was observed in the longest and suprascapular muscle of rabbits. The prospects of further research on the study of the transformation of other heavy minerals in industrial cultivation of rabbits has been overviewed.

An Over View of Dermatophytosis in Rabbits

Dermatophytosis is a fungal infection of the skin caused by dermatophytes-filamentous fungi which have ability to invade the epidermis and keratinized structure derived from it such as hair or nails. Rabbits are one of dermatophytes host; young rabbit below 12 months of age were more frequently affected with the disease. T. mentagrophytes is the most common dermatophytes isolated species. The disease can be diagnosed by direct examination, fungal culture, skin biopsy sero and molecular diagnosis methods. This overview forecast more light of the different aspects of this disease.

Milk digestion in the young rabbit: methodology and first results

This study aims to determine the digestibility of milk by the young rabbit (21-25 d old), taking into account the increment of digesta content and urine excretion. Nineteen litters of 9 young rabbits 21 to 25 d old were used: 12 litters (S group) fed exclusively with milk using controlled suckling, and 7 litters (Control group) with free suckling and access to the pelleted feed of the doe. The faecal digestibility of milk dry matter (DM) was measured between 21 and 25 d of age, for S litters housed from 15 d of age in a metabolism cage separately from their mother. Between 21 and 25 d, the milk intake, faeces and urine excretion were controlled daily, and the mean increment in digesta content was measured by comparing digesta weight of the whole tract at 21 and 25 d of age (one kit per litter). The increment in digesta content from 21 to 25 d averaged 77% (+8.5 g), sourcing mainly from stomach and caecum contents increase (+57 and +120% respectively). The mean increase for the dry content of the gut (from 21 to 25 d) was 1.75 g DM/kit, and was considered as non-digested to calculate the digestibility coefficient of the milk. The milk intake averaged 30 g/d/kit (7.9 g DM/d kit). No faecal excretion was recorded between 21 and 25 d. From the milk intake and increment in digesta content, the corrected digestibility of the milk dry matter reached 94% (minimum=92.9%, maximum=95.6%). The daily urine excretion averaged 5.1 mL/kit, corresponding to 1.2 g DM/kit. Therefore, the corrected DM retention coefficient of the milk was 79.5%. The quantity of nitrogen excreted in urine was low (0.06 g/d kits), thus the corrected nitrogen retention coefficient for milk reached 82% and the nitrogen retained (corrected) reached 0.44 g/d kit. Accordingly, the amount in metabolisable protein for the milk was 90 g/kg (fresh). The corrected energy retention coefficient was estimated to 95.8%, for a crude energy concentration estimated at 28.14 MJ/kg DM for the milk. Thus, the energy retained (corrected) reached 223 kJ/d kit and the content in metabolisable energy for the milk was 26.94 MJ/kg DM.

Characteristics of Children’s Literature in Diterlizzi’s Kenny and the Dragon

This present study aims to examine whether or not DiTerlizzi’s novel entitled Kenny and the Dragon can be categorized as a children’s literature. The story speaks about an adventurous experience of a young rabbit called Kenny to discover the truth about his monstrous-looking friend, Grahame.This study applies formalism approach since it is the most suitable approach to study the intrinsic elements of the novel, which are the plot, character and characterization, and point of view. To support the analysis, library research was conducted alongside the novel itself and supporting articles from reliable websites.The result of the analysis shows that DiTerlizzi’s Kenny and the Dragon meets the requirements for children’s literature since the characteristics of children’s literature suggested by Nodelman are found in the novel.