EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTATION OF LINSEED OIL, VITAMIN E AND SELENIUM IN DIET FOR GROWING RABBITS ON PRODUCTIVE AND CARCASS TRAITS

The aim of this experiment was to analyse, how additional dietary linseed oil, vitamin E and selenium affects production and slaughter characteristics of growing rabbits. The basal diet (B) contained 3% sunflower oil, while in the experimental feed (S) this was changed to 3% linseed oil. The vitamin E and selenium content of the two diets was 60 vs. 260 mg/kg and 0.10 vs. 0.46 mg/kg, respectively. Rabbits were fed the B diet from the age of 18 days. One group was fed with the B diet until 11 weeks of age, while the experimental groups were fed the S diets for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks before the slaughter (S1, S2, S3 and S4 groups). The body weight gain, the body weight, the feed intake and the feed conversion was identical in all groups. The mortality, as compared to the S1 group (0%) was higher in the in the B group by 13.4% and in the S2 and S3 groups (5.6% and 11.1%, resp.). The dressing out percentage was the lowest in the S1 group (61.7%), while it was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the S2 and S3 groups (62.8 and 62.7%). The proportion of the mid part, as compared to the reference carcass was the lowest in the S1 group and the highest in the S3 (31.3 vs. 32.0%, P<0.05). The proportion of the hind part was the highest in the S1 group (P<0.05) and the lowest in the S2, S3 and S4 groups (38.8 vs. 37.3; 37.2 and 37.1%). The weight of the organs, the proportion of the fore part and that of the perirenal fat was identical in all groups. Comparing these results to the literature, it was found that additional dietary linseed oil, vitamin E and selenium has no or only a slight effect on the production and slaughter characteristics.