Productive performance, digestibility, carcass traits and meat quality in rabbits fed triticale-based diets supplemented with xylanase

Cereals such as triticale may contain high levels of xylans and arabinoxylans, limiting its use in diets since they act as anti-nutritional factors. The objective was to evaluate the effects of the enzyme xylanase included in triticale-based diets on productive performance, digestibility, carcass traits and meat quality in growing-finishing rabbits. Eighty rabbits (New Zealand X California breed), 35 days old, with an average initial live weight of 821 ± 26 g, were used. Twenty animals for treatment were used in each one of the fourth experimental treatments: 0, 4000, 8000 and 12,000 XU/kg of xylanase inclusion (XilaBlend 6X). The rabbits were fed ad libitum and fecal excretion was collected on days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 of the experimental period. At the end of the experimental period, the rabbits were slaughtered and carcass characteristics and meat quality were measured. A higher ( P