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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (8): 199-210.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024345

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Effect of adding dietary whole-plant forage mulberry on the intestinal morphology, blood biochemical indicators, muscle amino acid content and economic return when raising Chuanbai rex rabbits

Hong-lin WANG1,2(), Bin WEN3, Yan-chun ZUO1,2, Kai ZHANG3, Zi-zhou WU1,2, Xu YAN1,2, Zheng-cai YUAN1,2, Yu-chuan DENG4, Lian XIAO5, Hui CHEN5, Jing KOU1,2, Xiang-chao FU3(), Zhou-he DU1,2()   

  1. 1.Institute of Special Economic Animals and Plants,Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Nanchong 637000,China
    2.Forage Crops Germplasm Innovation and Production Management Key Laboratory of Nanchong City,Sericulture Research Institute,Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Nanchong 637000,China
    3.Sichuan Academy of Grassland Science,Chengdu 611430,China
    4.Sichuan Grass Industry Technology Research and Promotion Center,Chengdu 610041,China
    5.Nanchong Bureau of Agricultural and Rural Affairs,Nanchong 637000,China
  • Received:2024-09-09 Revised:2024-10-31 Online:2025-08-20 Published:2025-06-16
  • Contact: Xiang-chao FU,Zhou-he DU

Abstract:

This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of adding dietary whole-plant forage mulberry (Morus alba) on the intestinal morphology, blood biochemical indicators, muscle amino acid content and economic return when raising Chuanbai rex rabbits. In all, 150 young Chuanbai rex rabbits (35 days old; half male and half female) with good health, and similar body weights (1132.80±54.73 g) were selected and randomly divided into five groups with 30 replicates per group and 1 rabbit per replicate. The rabbits were fed with a complete feed combination with whole plant forage mulberry added to the basic diet at a ratio of 0, 6%, 12% 18% and 24%. The results were as follows: The villus height in the ileum and duodenum of the 12%-addition-group was highest. The villus height/crypt depth in the 6% addition group was significantly higher than that in the control- and 24%-addition groups (P<0.05). The addition of 12% whole-plant forage mulberry significantly increased the number of monocytes (P<0.05), the addition of 18% whole-plant forage mulberry significantly increased the number of lymphocyte (P<0.05). The total cholesterol concentration in the blood of the 24%-addition group was significantly lower than that of the control- and 6%-addition groups, and the triglyceride concentration in the 24%-addition group was significantly lower than that of the control and other treatment groups (P<0.05). The addition of whole-plant forage mulberry had no significant effect on the amino acid content in muscle (P>0.05), but the concentration of inosine monophosphate in muscle increased significantly with increase in the addition ratio of whole-plant mulberry (P<0.05). Additionally, as the proportion of whole-plant forage mulberry increased, the total feed cost incrementally decreased, and the gross profit increased. In conclusion, the addition of whole-plant forage mulberry to the diet of young Chuanbai rex rabbits increased intestinal villus height, reduced blood total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, enhanced muscle inosine monophosphate content, and improved economic return. Under the experimental conditions, up to 24% whole-plant forage mulberry could be added without evident side effects.

Key words: dietary whole-plant forage mulberry, Chuanbai rex rabbit, intestinal morphology, blood biochemical indicators, amino acid, economic benefit