Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T00:55:25.116Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Proteolytic enzyme activity in the gut of doe-suckled and hand-reared rabbits

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

M. J. Henschel
M. J. Henschel
Affiliation:
National Institute for Research in Dairying, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. Proteolytic activity in the stomachs and pancreases of infant doe- and hand-reared rabbits was studied to the age of 3–4 weeks.

2. In the stomachs of both the doe- and hand-fed animals total proteolytic activity at birth was low, rising slowly during the first 2 weeks and then rapidly, until at 3 weeks of age the level was similar to that of the adult.

3. In the pancreases of the doe-suckled pups the level of proteolytic activity was highest during the 1st week of life, falling steadily after that to a minimum at 3 weeks of age. In contrast in the hand-reared rabbits, it fell sharply during the 1st week and then rose, reaching at 2 weeks of age a level slightly higher than that found in the doe-suckled pups.

4. Growth and survival of hand-reared rabbits during the first 12 d of life were improved by predigestion of the diet with trypsin and α-chymotrypsin.

Type
General Nutrition
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , September 1973 , pp. 351 - 359
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1973

References

Coates, M. E., Gregory, M. E. & Thompson, S. Y. (1964). Br. J. Nutr. 18, 583.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coates, M. E. & O'Donoghue, P. N. (1967). Nature, Lond. 213, 307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cowie, A. T. (1969). J. Endocr. 44, 437.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Erlanger, B. F., Kokowsky, N. & Cohen, W. (1961). Archs Biochem. Biophys. 95, 271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henschel, M. J. (1973). Br. J. Nutr. 30, 285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kunitz, M. (1939). J. gen. Physiol. 22, 447.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Venge, O. (1963). Anim. Behav. 11, 500.CrossRefGoogle Scholar