Quitosana na alimentação de coelhos: respostas morfofisiologicas

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the addition of chitosan in the rabbit diet on blood parameters, intestinal histometry and heat emission by infrared thermography. The experiment was carried out at UFGD Experimental Farm of Agricultural Sciences (FAECA) using 24 45-day-old New Zealand rabbits distributed in a completely randomized design in three treatments with eight replications. The treatments consisted of a control diet without chitosan, and two diets containing 2000mg / kg DM and 4000mg / kg DM of chitosan, respectively. The experimental period lasted 60 days, divided into 4 periods of 15 days, 10 days of adaptation and 5 for data collection. On the 15th day of each experimental period with the diet supply, thermographic images were performed at the times (0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 hours) and after the experimental diet supply. After 60 experimental days, the animals were slaughtered when blood was collected to evaluate the plasma biochemical profile and small intestine samples to perform histological processing. The results showed that there was no difference (P> 0.05) in the heat emission with the diet considering the diets supplied to the animals, as there was no statistical difference between the treatments. Chitosone addition did not lead to energy loss. as a natural effect of metabolism. Inclusion of chitosan in the feeding of growing rabbits had a beneficial effect on the health status of the animals, mainly in the reduction of serum cholesterol and it could be verified that the optimum point occurred in the addition of 2000mg / kg of chitosan in the diet. growing rabbit.