Vieira et al., 2003. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 32 (4): 935-941

Two experiments using New Zealand White * Californian rabbits were carried out with the objective of evaluating the effect of fibre source particle size on digestive traits of growing rabbits and on the production, chemical composition and nutritive contribution of caecotrophes, on a dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) basis. Four diets were prepared with different particle sizes of sugarcane bagasse with average geometric diameters of 0.231, 0.506, 0.616 and 0.833 mm. The productive performance and weight of the full and empty digestive tract, digestive tract contents, full and empty caecum and caecum contents were not affected; however the ammonia nitrogen percentage in the caecum contents was significantly increased by increasing the bagasse particle size. In the caecotrophy evaluation, effects of particle size on caecotroph production, DM and CP content ingested were observed, but the caecotroph chemical composition was not affected by diet.