Forty eight male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were devided into three groups with equal numbers and weights (7 weeks old), were fed diets contaning 0, 10 and 20 % Artichoke bracts (AB) in diests for 9 weeks, i.e, 7 to 16 weeks old.
The resukts showed that incorporation of AB up to 20% in rabbit diets improved growth rate, feed conversation and economical efficiency of growing rabbits without any adverse effect on their performance. Digestabilities of all nutrients were significantly (P< 0.05) higher for rabbits allowed to recycle their faeces than for those prevented from coprophagy. There were no significant differences in pre- slaughter weight, carcass traits, blood components and chemical analysis of rabbits meat among the experimental groups. Cecum contents of rabbits fed AB diets were free of Samonella, while number of E. Coli and total count of bacteria were increased with increasing of AB level in the diets.
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