BIHAR ANIMAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY

BIHAR VETERINARY COLLEGE, PATNA

Department of Animal Nutrition

ANN-606
UNIT-IV (NON-RUMINANT NUTRITION)

Lecture on

Feeding of Rabbit & Equine

Dr. Kaushalendra Kumar
Assistant Professor, Animal Nutrition, BVC, BASU, Patna
 PG Lecture: 5

Point to be discuss………………………..

 Feeding management of rabbit and equine under different

physiological conditions.
 Types of feed used for feeding of above species.

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 FEEDING OF RABBITS
• Rabbits are herbivores, requires plenty of roughage & limited

concentrates.

• They have continuously growing incisors & molars which wear down

with the normal action of eating.

• As in guinea pigs they also produce nutrient rich caecotropes which

they eat directly from the anus area.

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 Colon uniqueness of Rabbit
 Proximal colon has dual function, if the contents of caecum enter the
colon in the early morning, they undergo few chemical changes & purely
become pellets coated with mucus and these pellets gather into clusters,
are known as soft or night pellets or Caecotrophes.
 At other times of the day, the solid part of the food containing fibres over
0.3 mm long, forms hard pellets & is excreted out.
 Hard pellets are expelled directly, but the soft pellets are recovered from
the anus immediately.
 To do this, the rabbit twists itself around, sucks on the soft faeces and
then swallows them without chewing.
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 Cont...

 By the end of morning, there are large numbers of soft pellets inside the
stomach which comprises almost ¾ of the total contents & follow the
same digestion pattern as normal feed.
 Some parts of the feed may be recycled up to 4 times and this process of
recycling faeces in order to complete digestion of feed is known
as caecotrophy.
 Half of the pellets consist of imperfectly broken-down food & gastric
secretions whereas, other half consists of bacteria (contain a large
amount of high-value proteins) & water soluble vitamins.

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 Cont...
Cecotrophy in Rabbit

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 Cont...

Feeding of rabbits as per their stages of development

 Rabbits need to be fed differently at different stages of their growth to

ensure healthy development, digestion and weight gain.

 Avoid any sudden changes in diet.

 New foods should always be introduced gradually.

 Fresh clean water should be available all the times.

 Water bottles are recommended for waterer.

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 Cont...

Feeding of kits

 Baby rabbit or kit, feeds solely on its mother's milk for first 3 weeks.

 During the first few days, the milk contains high levels of antibodies

that help to protect the kit from disease.

 After 3 weeks, the kit will begin nibbling on feed offered to its mother.

 By 7 weeks of age, kits can be fed feed similar to that of an adult.

 Weaning is practiced by 8 weeks of age.

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 Cont...

Feeding of Juveniles

 Between weaning & 7 months of age, young rabbit can have an unlimited

amount of feed both roughage & concentrate.

Feeding of young adult

 Young adult rabbits from age 7 months to 1 year should be introduced to

grass/ hays, and it should be available all day.

 At this stage they will require little concentrate.

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 Cont...

Feeding of Mature adult

 Mature adult rabbits should be fed on hay/grass.

 Concentrate can be reduced in maintenance rabbits.

Feeding of pregnant & lactating does

 Hay / grass is fed adlibitum & concentrate can be fed upto 200 g /doe /day.

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 Cont...
Feed intake by Rabbits
Dry matter intake (DMI)
 For maintenance DMI is 3.8 to 4% of BW per day & it increases based on
growth & production.

 Growing rabbits (After weaning) = 100g

 Resting Does = 150g

 Does in Gestation = 250g

 Nursing Does (until litter is 3 weeks of age) = 250g

 Does with litter of 7 or 8 (3 to 8 weeks) = 1000g

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 Cont...

Feedstuffs commonly used for rabbits

 Green roughages: Grasses, weeds & leafy vegetable.

 Root crops: Carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips & beets.

 Cereal grains & by-product: Oats, wheat, barley, corn, rice & bran.

 Hays: Leguminous or non leguminous.

 Protein supplements: Oil cake or pulses.

 Common salt.

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 Cont...

Complete feed for rabbits

 Rabbits can be fed complete feeds in a pelleted form given below is an
example of ingredient composition of complete feed.

DCP % TDN % Ingredients Quantity (grams)

16 68 Cow pea hay 30
Maize 28
DORB 25
GNC 15
Min. mix. 1.5
Salt 0.5
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 Cont...

Chewing items
 Feed that requires little chewing, produces uneven tooth wear, causing
enamel to grow on the sides of the teeth.
 These spikes can cause severe oral pain and excessive salivation.
 Also cause reluctance to chew, inability to close the mouth & reduced food
intake.
 In addition to roughages, rabbits can be provided with chew sticks made of
wood or any safe material.
 Feed efficiency for rabbits is 2.5 : 1 .

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 Feeding management of horse
 See the individual horse feeding habits, and adjust rations accordingly.
 Working horse total ration should be fed thrice per day.
 Feed a quarter of concentrate required at morning & mid day, remaining half at night.
 Reduce the amount of concentrate by 50–70% on non-working days of horse.

 Make any changes in the ration gradually over a period of 10–14 days.

 Keep feed and water troughs clean, and remove leftovers.

 Don’t allow a horses to drink large quantities of water immediately after exercise.

 Allow the horse to drink only 2–4 L, and then let it cool before allowing free access.

 Avoid working the horse on a full stomach & allow at least 2 hrs for digestion.

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 Cont...

FEEDING FOALS

 Feeding of foals is according to its age.

 Mare milk can meet the requirement of foal up to the first 3 months age.

 Composition of mares milk:

Fat - 1.25, Crude protein - 2.1%, Lactose - 6.3%, Ash - 0.4% & Gross

energy - 480 Kcal/kg.

 Colostrum feeding provides immunity to the foal.

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 Cont...

Feeding orphan foal

 Foal can be injected with horse serum for immunity.

 Fostering or hand rearing by bottle or bucket feeding can be carried out.

 Modified cow milk - cow milk 600 ml + 150 ml lime water + 1 spoon sugar.

 Frequency of feeding once in 2 hours- first 2 weeks, once in 4 hours - next

2 weeks and 4 times a day feeding upto weaning.

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 Cont...

Creep feed for foal

 Beyond 1.5 month additional creep feed can be provided.

 Creep feed should provide 75 % TDN and 16 % crude protein with highly

digestible ingredients.

 It can be fed @0.5 to 1 % of the foals body weight.

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 Cont...
Creep feed composition

Ingredient Percent in feed

Oats groats rolled 15
Flaked oats 20
Flaked maize or sorghum 35.75
Soy bean meal 15
Skim milk powder 5
Molasses 5
Di-calcium phosphate 2
Ground limestone 0.75
Mineral mixture 1
Vitamin supplement 0.5
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 Cont...

FEEDING OF YEARLINGS

The following is the feeding schedule for yearlings

 3- 6 months: 500 gm grain or concentrate mixture & 1 Kg good quality hay.

 6-9 months: 1 kg grain or concentrate mixture & 2-3 Kg good quality hay.

 9-12 months: 2 kg grain or concentrate mixture & 4-5 Kg good quality hay.

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 Cont...
FEEDING OF STALLION

The feeding of stallion is critical for its breeding performance.

 Amount of energy required by the stallion during the act of mating is quite
small, but for additional physical activity & psychological response to
breeding, increases the dietary energy needs.
 During the breeding season, more energy-dense feeds (grains) to be
included in the ration to meet the stallion energy requirements.
 Vegetable oil can also be used to provide extra energy which can reduce
the inclusion of large amounts of grain.
 Stallion should be fed high quality hay at a minimum level of 1.0 % of BW.
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 Cont...

 Stallions, used to mate many number of mares will require energy-dense

grains @0.75 kg/100 kg BW.
 Other nutrient requirements also increase during the breeding season.
 Providing a suitable vitamin/mineral supplement.
 If stallion already receiving balanced diet then adding extra feed or
supplements to the diet will not enhance fertility.
 Stallions that exercised regularly should be fed as per their level of work.
 After breeding season, maintain on maintenance ration by increasing the
hay portion and decreasing the grain portion of the ration.

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 Cont...
Feeding of pregnant mares
 In early to mid-gestation, nutrient demands for developing fetus are minimal.
 Growth of the foal ranges 90 to 220 g per day, therefore, the mare's nutrient
requirements in early to mid-gestation are similar to maintenance ration.
 During late gestation the foal is growing @350 to 450 g/day so, to support
this growth, the mare's energy & protein requirements increase.
 Foetal uptake of minerals is enhanced during the last trimester, so, dietary
Ca & P requirement increased substantially.
 Elevated energy & protein requirements of a mare in late gestation can be
met by increasing the amount of mixed hay of leguminous species & grass.
 Adequate intakes of minerals and vitamins are also provided.
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 Cont...
Feeding of lactating mares
 Mare at the time of lactation should have a good body condition.
 Under feeding mares during lactation can lower milk production, ultimately
affecting the growth of foal.
 A thin body condition will also decrease the mare's ability to be re-bred.
 In addition to its own needs, mare produce 2 to 3% of her BW/day as milk.
 The energy and protein requirement increase 75 to 100 per cent.
 Lactating mare needs 3 times more calcium & 2.5 times more phosphorus
as needed in early gestation.
 When fed grass hay alone then supplements the protein, energy & MM.
 The mare's nutrient requirements decline in the 4th,5th & 6th months of
lactation,
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declines. Kumar, BVC, BASU, Patna 24
 Cont...
FEEDING OF RACE HORSES

 Horse performing light work for 2-3 hrs/day, their energy requirements
increases 50% above maintenance.
 Horse performs moderate work such as fast trotting, cantering, jumping, etc.
for 4-5 hrs/day, energy requirement increased by 70% above maintenance.
 It is not possible to meet the energy needs by feeding roughage alone in
above conditions.
 Further, horses after several hours of work do not eat enough, hence, the
energy density of the ration has to be increased by supplementing grains.
 Addition of fat to the ration upto 10% also increases the energy density.

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 Cont...
Ration for 500 kg horses performing light work
1. Alfa alfa / grass hay – 7 Kg
2. Crushed oats / barley – 2 Kg
3. Mineral mixture – 30 g
4. Iodised salt – free choice

Ration for 500 kg horses performing moderate work

1. Alfa alfa / grass hay – 8 Kg
2. Crushed oats / barley – 3 Kg
3. Mineral mixture – 30 g
4. Iodised salt – free choice
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 Cont...

Ration for 500 kg horses performing intense work

1. Alfa alfa / grass hay – 9 Kg

2. Crushed oats / barley – 4.5 Kg

3. Oil – 500 g

4. Mineral mixture – 30 g

5. Iodised salt – free choice

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 Cont...
Feeding of horses before riding
 High intensity work
o Remove hay 4 hours prior to competition.
o Feed grain 4 hours before competition.
 Light to moderate intensity work
o Remove hay 4 hours before riding.
o Adapt horse to eating smaller quantity of ration by spread throughout the day.
o Feed grain 4 or more hours before riding.
 Long distance races
o Allow free access to hay right up to the competition or even during the ride.
o Feed large quantity of grains/CM 4 hours before the ride.
o Feed smaller quantity of grain throughout the ride.
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 GUIDELINES FOR FORMULATION OF RATIONS OF EQUINES

Feed intake & Forage : Concentrate Ratio for different categories of Horses

Factor Feed Intake

% of Body Weight Forage:Concentrate Ratio
Maintenance 1.5 100:0
Pregnancy 2.2 75:25
Lactation 2.2 55:45
Mild 1.5 65:35
Work Hard 1.5 30:70
3-month foal 3-4 0:100
6-month foal 2 - 2.5 25:75
12-month yearling 2.0 35:65
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Discussions……………….…………..

Questions, if any…………………??

THANKS

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