[Influence of dietary calcium/phosphorus ratio on blood calcium, phosphate and magnesium during gestation in the rabbit]. / Influence du rapport calcium/phosphore de la ration sur la calcémie, la phosphatémie et la magnésémie de la lapine en gestation.

Sixteen Thiès strain rabbits were used to study the effect of the calcium/phosphorus ratio on plasma calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium levels during pregnancy. Animals were allocated in 2 groups of 8: one receiving a diet with a Ca/P ratio of 1:0 and the other a diet with Ca/P ratio of 2:1. Water was given ad libitum for all rabbits. Results obtained showed that Ca blood level was significantly higher in rabbits receiving the diet with Ca/P ratio of 2:1 before covering and during the first week of pregnancy. During the last 15 d of pregnancy, Ca blood level decreased significantly in the 2 groups of animals. Plasma inorganic phosphorus and magnesium levels were not significantly different in the 2 groups of rabbits until the 2nd wk of pregnancy. But at the end of pregnancy, while phosphatemia and magnesemia decreased in rabbits fed a high Ca/P ratio, in the other group these parameters remained unchanged.

[The effect of reduced drinking water supply on feed absorption, apparent digestibility of crude nutrients and rumen fermentation of sheep]. / Untersuchungen zur Wirkung einer reduzierten Tränkwassergabe auf die Futteraufnahme, die scheinbare Verdaulichkeit von Rohnährstoffen und die Pansenfermentation bei Schafen.

Based on the fact that the insufficient supply of agricultural domestic animals with drinking water in tropical and subtropical regions is often the factor limiting their performance, the effect of different drinking water supply of sheep (ad libitum, 54% of ad libitum and 27% of ad libitum) on various parameters was studied. A water supply reduced to 54 and 27% resp. diminished dry matter intake to 84% and 45% resp. A water supply reduced to 54% improved the digestibility of organic matter, crude fibre, crude cellulose and N-free extractives, it was, however, not significant. A reduction to 27% of the ad libitum water supply improved the digestibility of all crude nutrients, significantly, however, only that of organic matter, crude fibre, crude cellulose and N-free extractives. In comparison with a supply of water reduced to 54%, a water supply reduced to 27% also resulted in an improvement of the digestibility of all crude nutrients. Both the reduction of the ad libitum water supply and the increasing time interval for the sampling of rumen fluid resulted in an increased concentration of volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid, which was sampled 15 min, 1 hour and 2 hours after feeding.