Blood metabolites, growth and reproductive performance and immune responsiveness in growing and doe rabbits as affected by acitrol treatments

Abstract: Experiments with weanling and doe rabbits were conducted to determine the effect of acitrol supplementation on blood parameters, growth, reproductive performance and immune function. Both experiments were conducted in the same farm at the same time and treated with the same levels.
Experiment 1. Forty New-Zealand White rabbits about 5 weeks of age and 665 g average initial body weight were assigned to four experimental groups (ten rabbits each). Water was provided ad libitum and supplemented with different levels of acitrol as follows: 0 supplementation as control group (1), 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mill acitrol for groups 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Experiment 2. 32 New-Zealand White does were assigned to four experimental groups and treated as in growing rabbit trial for two parities.
Results showed that acitrol supplementation improved significantly (P<0.05) body weight, body gain and feed/gain ratio compared to the control or low level groups. Also, great improvements in both experiments were noticed for Ht, Hb, GOT, GPT, TP, Alb, Glob, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu and lymphocytes type due to acitrol supplementation. A reduction was recorded in pH, P and K (in both trials) values in acitrol groups compared to control group. All the reproductive performance were improved due to acitrol treatments and the second parity showed a slight improvement in all parameters studied compared to first one.
It can be concluded that supplementation of acitrol showed a great role in enhancing the immune system, improved growth performance, blood metabolites and reproductive parameters due to the inclusion of Cu, Zn, and Mn in organic form besides presence of the other components like pantothenic acid and the other acids. From the economic point 1 mill is recommended for both growing and does rabbits.
Publication year 2002
Pages 1789-1808
Availability location معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى-شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة
Availability number
Organization Name
serial title Egyptian Journal of Agricultural Research
Author(s) from ARC
Agris Categories Animal physiology - Nutrition
AGROVOC
TERMS
Blood composition. Economic analysis. Growth. Immune response. Rabbits. Reproductive performance.
Proposed Agrovoc Blood metabolites;acitrol;
Publication Type Journal