Effects of crude fibre level in the diet on the intestinal morphology of growing rabbits.

The experiment was conducted to study the effects of 5.5, 8.5, 11.5 and 14.5% dietary fibre levels on growth performance and intestinal villi in growing rabbits. After the 5-week feeding period, food intake and body weight gain increased with increasing dietary fibre levels, feed conversion was highest with 11.5% dietary fibre. Scanning electron microscopy showed slight changes to the jejunal villi and the caecal mucosa in rabbits fed high dietary fibre (14.5%), but the degree of damage was greater in the caecum than the jejunum. Flattened colon villi were seen in the low dietary fibre group whereas high levels showed no effect.