The effects of decreasing levels of crude protein (CP) and enzymatic supplementation on production performance of growing rabbits were studied. In a completely randomized design 54 weaned New Zealand White rabbits were divided in four groups of 11 rabbits each and one group of 10 rabbits. The treatment groups fed on diets with 17, 16, 15 or 14% of CP supplemented with 0.05% of enzymatic complex (VEGPRO® ) with cellulase and protease activities. The control group received a diet with 17% of CP without the enzymatic complex. The animals fed 14 and 15% CP diets showed better growth performance with a significant effect of the protein level (P<0.05) of the diet on final body weight, final metabolic body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, daily CP intake, and feed conversion. The reduction of CP level of the diet up to 14%, supplemented with enzymatic complex, and corrected to essential aminoacids levels, did not show negative effects on the evaluated traits.
Rabbit; protein; enzyme; body weight; weight gain
