A pilot study into the effects of various dietary restriction schedules in rabbits

Abstract

Ad libitum feeding in rabbits quickly leads to obesity. In order to prevent obesitye various dietary restriction schedules were studied for their effects on body weight. food and water intake, food conversion, blood lipid parameters (triglycerides, total cholesterol). kidney function (blood urea and creatinine), en7ymes (ALP. ALT, AST, GGT) and various autopsy parameters. In this pilot study the effects of ad libitum feeding (AL) were compared to feeding 60% of the ad libitum amount in the morning (FR), having food freely available during working hours (7.30-14.30 hr; NFR) and in between working hours (14.30-7.30 hr: DFR), The DFR schedule did not give reduced food intakes nor body weights as compared to the ad libitum feeding, and can therefore not be regarded as food restriction. The food intake in the NFR group was comparable to the food intake in the FR group and both obtained food during daytime However, there was a significantly higher food conversion and water intake in the FR group only. The reason for this is unclear. Blood ereatinine values were significantly higher in the FR and NFR groups. Whether this was related to food searching activity during the dark hours, leading to creatine release from muscle
tissue, needs further study.