Effects of Feed Restriction on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation, Biochemical Parameters, and the Caecum Microbiota and Metabolites in Rabbits
The main objective of this research was to observe the effects of feed restriction on caecum microbiota and metabolites in rabbits. Forty-eight male 8-week-old rabbits with similar body weights (1872.11 ± 180.85 g) were randomly assigned to two treatments according to completely randomized design: (...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| author | Qi Lu Jixiao Qin Shuanglong Xie Rui Chen Xu Wang Yiqing Xu Yiming Ban Chengcheng Gao Peiyao Li Di Zhou Xingzhou Tian |
| author_facet | Qi Lu Jixiao Qin Shuanglong Xie Rui Chen Xu Wang Yiqing Xu Yiming Ban Chengcheng Gao Peiyao Li Di Zhou Xingzhou Tian |
| author_sort | Qi Lu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The main objective of this research was to observe the effects of feed restriction on caecum microbiota and metabolites in rabbits. Forty-eight male 8-week-old rabbits with similar body weights (1872.11 ± 180.85 g) were randomly assigned to two treatments according to completely randomized design: (1) the control group received <i>ad libitum</i> access to feed (AL), and (2) the treatment received 80% of the feed consumed by the control (FR). The results showed that FR did not differ (<i>p</i> > 0.05) for average daily weight gain or feed conversion ratio between the two groups. FR treatment led to a significant increase (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in acid detergent fibre apparent faecal digestibility, nitrogen digestibility and retention, and gross energy digestibility and retention. The FR treatment showed significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) lower blood triglycerides, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, malondialdehyde, and hydroxyl free radicals but significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) greater total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase. The FR group presented greater (<i>p</i> < 0.05) <i>Firmicutes</i> and <i>Ruminococcus</i> abundances but a lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) <i>Akkermansiaceae</i> abundance in the caecal content. Moreover, 222 differentiated metabolites were identified, and beta-alanine metabolism was the top enriched pathway. Collectively, FR can improve nutrient utilisation, lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, caecum microbiota, and metabolites in rabbits. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-db8dc37321d4412e8fb32b5e8918b1d2 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-db8dc37321d4412e8fb32b5e8918b1d22025-08-20T02:41:58ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-03-0115684210.3390/ani15060842Effects of Feed Restriction on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation, Biochemical Parameters, and the Caecum Microbiota and Metabolites in RabbitsQi Lu0Jixiao Qin1Shuanglong Xie2Rui Chen3Xu Wang4Yiqing Xu5Yiming Ban6Chengcheng Gao7Peiyao Li8Di Zhou9Xingzhou Tian10Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaGuizhou Testing Centre for Livestock and Poultry Germplasm, Guiyang 550018, ChinaLaboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, ChinaThe main objective of this research was to observe the effects of feed restriction on caecum microbiota and metabolites in rabbits. Forty-eight male 8-week-old rabbits with similar body weights (1872.11 ± 180.85 g) were randomly assigned to two treatments according to completely randomized design: (1) the control group received <i>ad libitum</i> access to feed (AL), and (2) the treatment received 80% of the feed consumed by the control (FR). The results showed that FR did not differ (<i>p</i> > 0.05) for average daily weight gain or feed conversion ratio between the two groups. FR treatment led to a significant increase (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in acid detergent fibre apparent faecal digestibility, nitrogen digestibility and retention, and gross energy digestibility and retention. The FR treatment showed significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) lower blood triglycerides, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, malondialdehyde, and hydroxyl free radicals but significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) greater total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase. The FR group presented greater (<i>p</i> < 0.05) <i>Firmicutes</i> and <i>Ruminococcus</i> abundances but a lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) <i>Akkermansiaceae</i> abundance in the caecal content. Moreover, 222 differentiated metabolites were identified, and beta-alanine metabolism was the top enriched pathway. Collectively, FR can improve nutrient utilisation, lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, caecum microbiota, and metabolites in rabbits.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/6/842feed restrictionnutrient utilisationantioxidantmicrobiomemetabolomerabbits |
| spellingShingle | Qi Lu Jixiao Qin Shuanglong Xie Rui Chen Xu Wang Yiqing Xu Yiming Ban Chengcheng Gao Peiyao Li Di Zhou Xingzhou Tian Effects of Feed Restriction on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation, Biochemical Parameters, and the Caecum Microbiota and Metabolites in Rabbits Animals feed restriction nutrient utilisation antioxidant microbiome metabolome rabbits |
| title | Effects of Feed Restriction on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation, Biochemical Parameters, and the Caecum Microbiota and Metabolites in Rabbits |
| title_full | Effects of Feed Restriction on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation, Biochemical Parameters, and the Caecum Microbiota and Metabolites in Rabbits |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Feed Restriction on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation, Biochemical Parameters, and the Caecum Microbiota and Metabolites in Rabbits |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Feed Restriction on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation, Biochemical Parameters, and the Caecum Microbiota and Metabolites in Rabbits |
| title_short | Effects of Feed Restriction on Growth Performance, Nutrient Utilisation, Biochemical Parameters, and the Caecum Microbiota and Metabolites in Rabbits |
| title_sort | effects of feed restriction on growth performance nutrient utilisation biochemical parameters and the caecum microbiota and metabolites in rabbits |
| topic | feed restriction nutrient utilisation antioxidant microbiome metabolome rabbits |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/6/842 |
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