Performance of rats (<em>Rattus norvegicus</em>) of Wistar lineage in growing feeding with extruded and pelleted diets

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out to study the effect of the extruded and pelleted diets on the digestibility and performance in growing rats. For the digestibility essay, 24 rats of the Wistar lineage, from 21 to 35 days old, were distributed in randomized experimental design, with two treatments (extruded and pelleted diets) and 12 replicates. Differences were not observed (p > 0.05) on the apparent digestibility coefficient of dry matter and crude protein when the diets were compared. The coefficient digestibility apparent of the gross energy was (p < 0.05) for extruded diet in comparison with the pelleted diet. In performance trial, 120 rats of the Wistar lineage, from 21 to 42 days old, were distributed in randomized experimental design, with two treatments (extruded and pelleted diets) and 10 replicates and six animals for experimental unit. Considering the analyzed periods, it was verified between 21 to 35 days old the animals that received extruded diet presented larger live weight (p>0.05), better daily weight gain (p > 0.05) and (p > 0.05) feed conversion than the animals that received pelleted diet.