Fiber in Animal Nutrition

59 Conclusion 4.6 Conclusion The favourable impact of quantity and quality of low-digested fiber fractions on digestive health has been demonstrated and fiber requirements are now more pre- cise. However, the analysis of the cell wall polysaccharides that are quickly fermen- ted remains a challenge for the future. A criterion, such as TDF-aNDFom, needs to be validated in terms of reproducibility and repeatability for feed analyses. Its nu- tritional role (mucosa protection, etc.) and its relationship with the performance and digestive health of the young rabbit should be more deeply explored. In perspective, the fiber requirements of the young rabbit before weaning should also be studied and specified. The nutritional preparation of the young before weaning is probably a key step to determining the dige- stive health of the growing rabbit. However, our knowledge of the digestive maturation, including the microbiota implantation in the young rabbit needs to be improved, to provide new concepts for the nutrition of the young in relation to dietary fibers. © ERLING Verlag