FORMATION OF THE PRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL OF YOUNG RABBITS WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE USE OF PROBIOTIC AND PHYTOBIOTIC FEED ADDITIVES IN FEEDING

Abstract

The article presents the results of determining the effect of the complex use of probiotics (Immunobacterin D) and phytobiotics (nettle flour) on growth, metabolism, slaughter rates and quality of meat products of young rabbits of the meat-skin direction of productivity. It was found that starting from the age of 60 days, the young animals of the experimental group significantly exceeded the live weight of their peers in the control group by 93.6 g or 6.0% (p<0.05), at the age of 90 days the difference between these groups increased to 133.5 g or 6.3% (p<0.05), and at the age of 120 days it reached 176.5 g or 5.6% (p<0.05). Similarly, to the changes in live weight in the young animals of the experimental group, their total gains also increased, which during the growing period amounted to 373.7; 605.1 and 1104.6 g or 30.2; 7.1 and 4.1% more against the background of a higher growth intensity of 5.8 g (30.4%), 1.4 g (7.4 and 4.0%) at 60, 90 and 120 days, respectively, compared with the peers of the control group. According to the results of the balance experiment, it was found that the rabbits of the experimental group were characterized by better assimilation and use of feed nutrients compared with the analogues of the control group. At the same time, the digestibility coefficients of crude protein and fiber were significantly higher and exceeded the control by 8,5 and 12.5% (p<0.05). The nitrogen balance in the body of animals of the experimental group was characterized by a higher level of its intake (+0.17 g or 5.1%; p<0.05) and a greater deposition in the body – 1.58 g versus 1.21 g – in rabbits of the control group (p<0.05). The metabolism of Calcium and Phosphorus also indicated a sufficient level of their assimilation in the body, while the digestibility of calcium in experimental animals was higher by 0.20 g compared to the peers of the control group. The inclusion of a complex feed additive in the diet of rabbits also provided a significant increase in meat productivity. In particular, the pre-slaughter live weight of rabbits of the experimental group reached 4031.9 g, which significantly exceeded the corresponding indicator of control analogues by 3732.7 g (p<0.01), with a simultaneous increase in slaughter yield by 1.9%. The advantage of experimental rabbits was also maintained in terms of the weight of a paired carcass: with the head and liver it was 2405.8 g or 11.4% more, compared to the control (p<0.01), while without the head and liver – 2014.2 g or 12.3% more (p<0.01). The meat obtained from the young animals of the experimental group was characterized by increased protein value (21.16% versus 20.88% in the control; p<0.01), better water-retaining properties (0.92% higher) and a physiologically optimal level of active acidity. The obtained results of the experiment confirmed the feasibility of the complex use of probiotic-phytobiotic feed additive in feeding rabbits as an effective means of increasing growth, improving the absorption of basic nutrients of feed in the body, improving meat productivity and quality of meat products.