Effects of Exogenous Enzymes, Lactobacillus acidophilus or their Combination on Feed Intake, Digestibility and Performance of Rabbits Fed Sugarcane Bagasse

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus acidophilus (LAC), exogenous enzymes ZAD® or their combination on feed intake, nutrient digestibility and performance of rabbits fed increasing levels of sugarcane bagasse (SCB). Five rations were allotted randomly to five groups of New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits (838±42.4g average BW at 5 weeks of age. Rabbits were fed: (i) a control diet made of 100% berseem hay and 0% SCB, (ii) 50% berseem hay and 50% untreated SCB (USCB), (iii) 50% berseem hay and 50% SCB treated with Lactobacillus acidophilus (LAC), (iv) 50% berseem hay and 50% SCB treated with ZAD® (ZAD), and (v) 50% berseem hay and 50% SCB treated with LAC+ZAD® (LZ). Treatment of SCB with Lactobacillus acidophilus, ZAD® and LAC+ ZAD® led to higher CP content and lower contents of ADF, NDF and DM. Total DM intake was not affected by treatments. Digestibility coefficient of CP for LAC and LZ were higher (P<0.05) compared to the other groups. The BW for LAC and LZ rabbits was higher (P<0.05) than for the other groups, while the BW for LAC rabbit was the highest (P<0.05) and for USCB was the lowest. It can be concluded that treating sugarcane bagasse with Lactobacillus acidophilus, exogenous enzymes of ZAD® or their combination improved feeding values; however, the treatment with Lactobacillus acidophilus was found to be the best.