Two experiments were carried out to study the digestibility of starch and the specific activity of amylase (ACAMY) and maltase (ACMAL) enzymes in two portions of small intestine (jejunum and ileum), in rabbits with initial ages of 28 and 49 days, fed with four sources of starch (corn, sorghum, triticale and cassava) processed or not by extrusion. Sixty-four White New Zealand rabbits were used in each experiment, distributed in a completely randomized design with eight treatments and eight replications. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were slaughtered for retreat of sample of jejunum and ileum content, besides of scraping of mucous membrane of jejunum for the determination of ACAMY and ACMAL. The processing improved the digestibility coefficient (DC) of starch of corn and sorghum. Among the sources non-extruded, the higher DC of starch was presented by triticale and cassava. The ACAMY of jejunum wall was higher in the 60 days. The ACMAL in the jejunum and ileum content was higher in the 37 days. The different sources of starch differ one of the other ones with relationship the ACAMY and ACMAL of the jejunum and ileum content. The ACMAL showed to be higher in the jejunum. The ACAMY in the jejunum content was higher in the 60 days to the animals that received extruded corn and sorghum. The ACAMY in the 37 days was higher in the ileum than in the jejunum to the animals that received corn and sorghum. The results allow concluding that the processing was effective to the corn and sorghum, however, all sources, processed or not, showed good DC of the starch, could be used in rabbit feeding.
amylase; cassava; corn; maltase; sorghum; triticale
