A total of 70 five-month-oldfemale New Zealand White rabbits were assigned in a completely randomized design,over three reproductive cycles, with two treatments: a reference diet and ahalf-simplified diet containing 79.83% cassava byproduct. The study evaluatedbody weight and feed intake of does, feed cost, number and total body weightof kits at kindling and weaning per female during three cycles, number and percentageof mortality/female/cycle, and weight gain of kits from birth to weaning. Nointeraction was observed between the diets and among the reproductive cyclesfor any evaluated characteristics. The body weight of does at the moment ofweaning was similar in both groups for all three reproductive cycles. However,does fed the half-simplified diet had lower feed intake during the three reproductivecycles and, consequently, more reproductive flaws. The number of kits at weaning,body weight of kits at kindling and weaning, weight gain of kits from birthto weaning, and total body weight of kits at weaning were lower for the groupof does fed the half-simplified diet and, consequently, there was a higher numberand percentage of dead kits in this group. The total numbers of kits at kindlingand weaning and total body weight of kits at birth during all three reproductivecycles were similar between the groups; however, total body weight of weaningrabbits was higher for the animals receiving the reference diet. It is possibleto conclude that although the use of the half-simplified diet decreases thereproductive performance of does, it reduces feed cost per kg of body weightby 23.63% compared with the reference diet, proving to be a viable nutritionaloption for rabbit production.
