Thirty rabbits from New Zealand White breed , 15 males and 15 females, with 50 days of age, were used on assay of digestibility, with the aim to determine the nutritional value of recovery yeast (Saccharomyces sp), dried in a rotational cylinder (RYRC) and by spray-dry (RYSD). The rabbits were assigned to a completely randomized experimental design with three treatments and ten replicates, with one as a reference diet and two test diets. In the elaboration of test diets, the RYRC and the RYSD replaced 25% of the reference diet dry matter, containing 15.27% of crude protein, 15.51% of crude fiber, and 4397 kcal of gross energy, respectively. The coefficients of apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, and gross energy were, 73.80%, 55.44%, 55.27% and 69.60% for RYRC and 83.33%, 79.14%, 48.24% and 87.19%, respectively, for RYSD. The dry matter digestible, crude protein digestible, crude fiber digestible and gross energy digestible, based on the total dry matter were, 68.06%, 18.25%, 0.80% and 3,448 kcal/kg for RYRC and 75.57%, 25.22%, 0.20% and 3,858% kcal/kg, respectively, for RYSD. The results showed that RYSD was nutritionally better than RYRC.
digestibility; rabbit; recovery yeast
