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Effect of different dietary levels of coconut oil as a source of medium chain fatty acids on some production and physiological traits of growing rabbits
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Abstract: Eighty New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits aged 5 weeks and weighed 603.2 g±10.93 were used in the present study to determine the effects of different levels of dietary coconut oil (CO) as medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) source on their productive capability, carcass characteristics, some heamatological and biochemical indices, lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity and profitability. The present study lasted 5 weeks and was carried out during growing period (from weaning at 5 weeks to marketing age at 13 weeks of age). The growing animals were divided into four experimental groups of 20 rabbits each. These groups fed 0.0 (G1) as a control group, 0.5 (G2), 1.0 (G3) or 1.5 (G4) % CO / kg diet.
The results revealed that, daily body weight gain and final body weight of growing NZW rabbits were significantly (P<0.05) higher due to treatment with CO compared to control being maximized with 1.0 and 1.5% Co. Rabbits received the CO with the highest levels had the highest digestibility coefficients of all nutrients, except CF and NFE values. The treatment groups, also increased significantly (P<0.05) dressing, fore parts, trunk, hind parts and total edible parts percentages, blood picture and some blood serum constituents. Also, treated rabbits had significant (P<0.05) increase in serum antioxidant capacity and decrease in serum lipid profile and thigh lipid peroxidation.
Conclusively, dietary 1.0% CO/kg diet showed a beneficial role in enhancing growth performance and improving blood metabolites without any deleterious effects on liver and kidneys function with the best economic efficiency, under Egyptian environmental conditions. .
Key words: Rabbits, coconut oil, productive performance, digestion, blood parameters.
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| Publication year |
2014
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| Pages |
67 - 88
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| Availability location |
معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد- دقى- جيزة
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| Availability number |
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| Organization Name |
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| Country |
Egypt
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| serial title |
Egyptian Journal of Rabbit Science
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| ISSN |
1110-2594
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| Volume |
24
. 1
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| Author(s) from ARC |
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| Agris Categories |
Animal feeding
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AGROVOC
TERMS |
Blood composition.
Blood ph.
Blood sugar.
Coconut oil.
Digestion.
Rabbits.
Reproductive performance.
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| Publication Type |
Journal
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