Methods for raising rabbits

• US 6,568,351 B1
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DSM IP Assets BV (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: Martek Biosciences Boulder Corp. (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Zotti, Alessandro, Barclay, William R., Mordenti, Archimede, Tassinari, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, ELIZABETH ANNE
• Application Number:
  US10/181,756
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 119/483, 424/93.3
• US Class Current: 119/483
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 67/02 Breeding vertebrates
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 20/158 Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/00 Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/50 for rodents

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for raising rabbits, in particular by feeding the rabbit with a feed containing a source of long-chain fatty acid. In this manner, mortality and the feed conversion rates are decreased while average daily weight gain and long-chain fatty acid content of rabbit meat are increased compared to a rabbit raised in the absence of the long-chain fatty acid source.

Claims

1. A method for raising a rabbit comprising feeding said rabbit a feed comprising a source of long-chain fatty acid, wherein the mortality rate of said rabbit is reduced compared to a rabbit raised in the absence of said long-chain fatty acid source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said mortality rate is decreased by at least about 50%.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said mortality rate is decreased by at least about 65%.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said long-chain fatty acid source comprises at least 10% (as % by weight total fatty acids) omega-3 long-chain fatty acid and at least 5% omega-6 long-chain fatty acid.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said long-chain fatty acid source comprises at least 15% (as % by weight total fatty acids) omega-3 long-chain fatty acid and at least 10% omega-6 long-chain fatty acid.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the long-chain fatty acid content of a thigh or loin of said rabbit is increased by at least about 50%.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said long-chain fatty acid source comprises a marine source.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said long-chain fatty acid source comprises a marine source selected from the group consisting of fish oil, fish meal and microorganisms.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said long-chain fatty acid source comprises microorganisms.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said microorganisms are in a dry form.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said microorganisms are of the order Thraustochytriales.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of Thraustochytrium, Schizochytrium, and mixtures thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said long-chain fatty acid source comprises a long-chain fatty acid selected from the group consisting of linolenic acid, gammalinolenic acid, dihomogammalinolenic acid, stearidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid (both omega-3 and omega-6 forms), docosahexaenoic acid, arachidonic acid, and mixtures thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said long-chain fatty acid source comprises docosahexaenoic acid.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said feed comprises at least about 0.1% by weight long-chain fatty acid source.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said feed comprises at least about 0.01% by weight long-chain omega-3 fatty acid.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said feed comprises at least about 0.003% by weight long-chain omega-6 fatty acid.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said feed is fed to said rabbit for at least about 5 days.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said feed comprises from about 0.02% by weight to about 0.12% by weight long-chain omega-3 fatty acid.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said feed comprises from about 0.008% by weight to about 0.03% by weight long-chain omega-6 fatty acid.

21. A rabbit meat product produced by the method of claim1.

22. A method for increasing an average daily weight gain of a rabbit comprising feeding said rabbit a feed comprising a long-chain fatty acid source, wherein the average daily weight gain of said rabbit is higher than a rabbit raised in the absence of said long-chain fatty acid source.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the average daily weight gain of said rabbit is increased by at least about 2%.

24. A method for reducing a feed conversion rate in a rabbit comprising feeding said rabbit a feed comprising a long-chain fatty acid source, wherein the feed conversion rate of said rabbit is lower than a rabbit raised in the absence of said long-chain fatty acid source.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the feed conversion rate of said rabbit is decreased by at least about 0.03 g/day.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the feed conversion rate of said rabbit is decreased by at least about 1%.

27. A method for increasing a docosahexaenoic acid content of a rabbit comprising feeding said rabbit a feed comprising a docosahexaenoic acid source, wherein said docosahexaenoic acid source comprises microorganisms.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said docosahexaenoic acid source comprises a marine source.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said docosahexaenoic acid source comprises a precursor to docosahexaenoic acid such as linolenic acid, gammalinolenic acid, dihomogammalinolenic acid, stearidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid (n-3), or mixtures thereof, wherein said precursors can be elongated to docosahexaenoic acid, and the precursors and the subsequent elongation products accumulate in the rabbit meat.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein said docosahexaenoic acid source comprises at least 10% (as % by weight total fatty acids) DHA.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein said feed comprises at least about 0.1% by weight docosahexaenoic acid source.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein said feed comprises at least about 0.01% by weight docosahexaenoic acid.

33. The method of claim 27, wherein the docosahexaenoic acid content of a thigh or loin of said rabbit is increased by at least about 50%.

34. A method for increasing productivity of a rabbit comprising feeding said rabbit a feed comprising a source of long-chain fatty acid, wherein the productivity of said rabbit is higher compared to a rabbit raised in the absence of said long-chain fatty acid source.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said productivity is increased by decreasing the mortality rate of said rabbit.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said mortality rate is decreased by at least about 40%.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein said mortality rate is decreased by at least about 50%.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said productivity is increased by increasing the average daily weight gain of said rabbit.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein the average daily weight gain of said rabbit is increased by at least about 1%.

40. A method for decreasing the total amount of fat of a rabbit comprising feeding said rabbit a feed comprising a source of long-chain fatty acid, wherein the total amount of fat of said rabbit is lower compared to a rabbit raised in the absence of said long-chain fatty acid source.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said total amount of fat of said rabbit is decreased by at least about 5%.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein said total amount of fat of said rabbit is decreased by at least about 10%.

43. A method for raising a female rabbit for breeding comprising feeding said female rabbit a feed comprising a source of long-chain fatty acid during one or more time periods selected from the group comprising the time period prior to pregnancy, the time period during pregnancy and the time period during lactation, wherein one or more of the characteristics selected from the group comprising fertility, growth, mortality and immunity of said female rabbit or the offspring of said female rabbit is improved compared to a female rabbit or offspring raised in the absence of said long-chain fatty acid source.

44. A method for increasing a long-chain fatty acid content of a rabbit comprising feeding said rabbit a feed comprising a long-chain fatty acid source, wherein said long-chain fatty acid source comprises microorganisms.