| Abstract: | This experiment was aimed to explore the effect of different ratios of food to water of dry powder feed on growth performance，nutrient digestibility and nitrogen metabolism of growing Wusuli raccoon dogs.Thirty 11-week-old healthy Wusuli raccoon dogs with average body weight of （3.47±0.20） kg were randomly assigned into 3 groups.The Wusuli raccoon dogs were fed experimental diets with dry powder feed of ratio of food to water of 1∶2.5 （group Ⅰ），1∶3.5（group Ⅱ），1∶4.5 （group Ⅲ），respectively.The pre-test period lasted for 7 days and the trial period lasted for 67 days.The results showed that the average daily feed intake of each week from 11,12 to 13 weeks in groupⅠ was significantly less than that in groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ （P＜0.05），the average daily feed intake of each week from 14,15 to 20 weeks was no significant difference among all groups （P＞0.05）.The total intake in group Ⅰ was significantly less than that in group Ⅱ （P＜0.05）.The average daily gain of each week from 15 to 17 weeks in group Ⅲ was significantly higher than that in group Ⅰ （P＜0.05），while the average daily gain，total weight and the rate of feed intake to body gain in other week-old were no significant differences among all groups （P＞0.05）.The protein digestibility，fat digestibility and dry matter digestibility were no significant differences among all groups （P＞0.05）.The amount of urine in group Ⅲ was extremely significantly higher than that in groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ （P＜0.01）.The nitrogen intake，fecal nitrogen，urine nitrogen，nitrogen deposition，net protein utilization and biological value of protein were no significant differences among all groups （P＞0.05）.In conclusion，the appropriate ratios of food to water of dry powder feed of growing Wusuli raccoon dogs was 1∶3.5 to 1∶4.5. |
