Effects of dietary digestible fibre and soybean oil level on the odd-numbered, branched-chain and hydroxy-fatty acid composition of caecotrophs in rabbits

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology 2010-06, Vol.158 (1), p.95-103
• Main Authors: Papadomichelakis, G., Anastasopoulos, V., Karagiannidou, A., Fegeros, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: animal nutrition; Animal productions; bacteria; bacterial colonization; Biological and medical sciences; branched chain fatty acids; Branched-chain FA; Caecotrophs; cecum; dietary fiber; Digestible fibre; digestion; fatty acid composition; feces; Feed and pet food industries; finishing; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hemicellulose; hydroxy fatty acids; Hydroxy-FA; intestinal microorganisms; Nutrition; odd chain fatty acids; Odd-numbered carbon FA; pectins; Rabbits; Soybean oil; Terrestrial animal productions; unsaturated fatty acids; Vertebrates
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2010.03.016

The study aimed to characterize shifts in caecotroph microbial FA induced by different dietary digestible fibre (DF) and soybean oil (SO) contents, in fattening rabbits. Following a 2 × 2 design, diets with either a low (LDF) or high (HDF) digestible fibre content (180 and 260 g DF/kg DM, respectively) supplemented with or without 20 g of SO/kg, were fed to 12 rabbits ( n = 48 in total) for a period of 77 days. At an age of 63 days, a light plastic flat collar was applied on animals for 24 h to prevent caecotrophy. Gas chromatography was used to determine the odd-numbered (ONFA), branched-chain (BCFA), hydroxy (OHFA) and other FA in freeze-dried caecotroph samples. A high dietary DF level increased ONFA ( P