<b>Amylase activity in the small intestine of rabbits fed with diets containing starch levels before and after weaning</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v28i3.46

Abstract

One experiment was carried out to study the amylase activity in the small intestine (jejunum and ileum) of rabbits from litters maintained on different feeding patterns. Two hundred White New Zealand rabbits were analyzed, out of which 40 35- days-old rabbits, 80 50-days-old rabbits and 80 70-days-old rabbits were slaughtered. To modulate the pattern of feed and milk intake before weaning, the litters were modulated for eight young rabbits until 16 days old. From 16 days until weaning, they were submitted to low or high milk availability, litters maintained with four or eight young rabbits receiving diets containing normal or high starch level. The animals were distributed in a factorial design 2x2x2 (two milk intake patterns versus two starch levels in the diets before weaning versus two starch levels in the diets after weaning). The results showed that litters maintained with four or eight young rabbits from 16 to 35 days old did not modify (P>0.05) the activity amylase independent of the evaluated age after weaning . The diets with high starch level in lactation phase increased (P<0.05) the amylase activity at 50 days old. The digestive content in the ileum presented higher amylasic activity (P<0.05) than jejunum. The amylase activity during the jejunum and ileum increased (P<0.05) with the age, particularly until 50 days old