Twenty seven of weaning New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits of
seven weeks of age was randomly distributed into nine groups of equal
number (three rabbits in each) and similar average live body weight
(813g ± 0.01). Each group at 7, 9, 11 and 13 weeks of age was tended to
determine Ca, and P concentration in blood plasma. At 13 weeks old,
blood samples were collected fromthe ear vein ofthe three rabbits in each
group after overnight fasting during the last day of all growth trials. A
representative part (5cm) from the small intestine was dissected
immediately after slaughtering of rabbits to determine Ca and P
absorption rates.
The experimental groups were fed randomly on one of the nine
formulated experimental rations used. The 1st ration (R1) was used as a
control, which contained 10 % yellow corn + 10 % barley + 13.7 %
soybean meal (SBM) +20 % wheat bran +40 % clover hay + 3 %
molasses + 1 %dicalciumphosphate + 1.2%limestone + 0.5%sodium
chloride + 0.4 % premix + 0.2 % methionine and substituting the equal
parts of barley and SBMby 10 % and 20 % distiller's dried grains with
solubles (DDGS) for ration 2 (R2) and ration 3 (R3), respectively. The
supplemented seaweed (SW) for these rations was at two levels. The first
level was 0.5%seaweed of the totalmixed ration for ration 4 (R4), ration
5 (R5) and ration 6 (R6). The second level was 1.0%seaweed ofthe total
22 TORK DORRA et al
mixed ration for ration 7 (R7), ration 8 (R8) and ration 9 (R9). All rations
were in pelleted formand nearly isonitrogenous and isocaloric.
The results of the present study revealed that Ca intake was
increased (P < 0.05) with feeding DDGS on R8 (1.92 g/h/d) than the other
rations, while feeding on R2, R7 and R9 decreased (P < 0.05) Ca intake
(1.67, 1.76 and 1.07 g/h/d, respectively) at 12 to 13 weeks of age.
Phosphorous intake was increased (P < 0.05) with feeding on R3, R5, R6
and R8 (0.96, 0.94, 0.95 and 0.96 g/h/d, respectively). The mean values
from7 to 13 weeks old ranged from0.61 to 0.71 g/h/d of the experimental
rations. There was no significant effect with feeding on DDGS with or
without SWon Ca and P absorption and concentration in blood plasma.
Urea-Nconcentration in blood plasma was increased (P < 0.05)
with feeding on R2, R3 and R7 (45.95, 45.37 and 46.53 mg/100ml,
respectively) than the other ration groups.
The feeding R9 was higher(P<0.05) in cholesterol concentration
(224.68 mg/100ml) than the other rations,while feeding on R3,R5 and R6
were higher (P < 0.05) (202.22, 213.84 and 215.39 mg/100ml,
respectively) than the others. Triglycerides concentrationwas higher (P<
0.05) with feeding R3,R5,R6,R8 and R9 (107.26, 122.02, 115.62, 119.56
and 133.58mg/100ml, respectively) than the other rations, and total lipids
was also higher with the same rations (430.0, 225.0, 267.5, 232.5 and
282.5 mg/100ml, respectively). Low density lipoproteins (LDL)
concentration was higher (P < 0.05) with feeding on R9 (164.23
mg/100ml) than the other rations.
It could be concluded that feeding on DDGS without SW
supplementation could be increased urea-Nin blood plasma, triglycerides,
cholesterol and total lipids inKeywords: