|
|
Effect of natural additive (bee pollen) on immunity and productive and reproductive performances in rabbits.
1-Growth performance, digestive and immune responses in growing rabbits
|
|
Abstract: A total number of 96 growing male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits aged 35 days of age were used to determine the effect of administration of bee pollen on growth performance, mortality rate, protein and digestible energy intakes, nutrients digestibility, pH and count of pathogenic bacteria, carcass characteristics, blood constituents, phytohemagglutinin-elicited skin reaction, villi measurements and absorption area as well as economic efficiency, during the experimental period. The rabbits were weighted (658 g±6.30) at 5 weeks of age and divided into 4 groups of 24 rabbits each (4 groups x 8 treatments x 3 replicates = 96 rabbits). First group was kept without any treatment (control) Second, third and fourth groups were treated administration orally by bee pollen (BP) suspension contains 200, 300 and 400 mg BP/kg body weight daily through the experimental period from 35-91 days of age.
The results showed that treated growing male rabbits with bee pollen (BP) caused to increase significantly in final body weight and weight gain and to decrease in feed intake and improved in feed conversion compared with untreated during experimental period. No mortality rate was recorded for rabbits administration with BP groups. There were significant improvement on digestibility coefficient and nutritive values of growing rabbits administration with BP groups. The lowest value of pH (5.45), lowest count of E.coli (543.81 xl02 CFU) and anaerobic bacteria (5.11xl06 CFU) were recorded with rabbits administration with 400 mg BP /kg BW. Also, these were increased significantly in weight of carcass, dressing, heart, liver, kidney and spleen percentages which were recorded due to increased treated, while, abdominal fat was decreased. The immunity responsiveness represented in leukocytes counts and mainly on lymphocytes increased significantly with increasing BP levels. Hematological parameters and liver functions have been improved due to bee pollen treatment. The villus length and crypt depth of the intestinal mucosa in the BP treated groups indicated a significant increase (P<0.05) compared to control group.
The BP (400 mg) showed higher values of economical efficiency compared with control group.
It can be concluded that BP treated could be used as a supplement in the growing rabbits during days 35-91 of age with positive effects on growth rate and feed conversion ratio without increase in the cost of production.
Key Words: Bee pollen, Bacterial count, Growing rabbits, Performance, Immune response.
|
| Publication year |
2014
|
| Pages |
579-606
|
| Availability location |
معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى-شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة
|
| Availability number |
|
| Organization Name |
|
| City |
الاسكندرية
|
| serial title |
Egyptian Poultry Science Journal
|
| ISSN |
1110-5623
|
| Author(s) from ARC |
|
| Agris Categories |
Animal physiology - NutritionAnimal physiology - Reproduction
|
AGROVOC
TERMS |
Bacteria.
Cell counting.
Energy value.
Immune response.
Mortality.
Performance testing.
Proteins.
|
| Proposed Agrovoc |
Growing rabbits;Bee pollen;nutrients digestibility;
|
| Publication Type |
Journal
|