EFFECT OF USING Pediococcus acidilactici ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING RABBITS

Salama, Walaa A; Ghazal, Mervat; Barakat, Safaa; Abo El-Azaem, Enayat

doi:10.21608/ejrs.2016.42084

EFFECT OF USING Pediococcus acidilactici ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING RABBITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, El-Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/ejrs.2016.42084

Abstract

Sixty growing New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits at 6 weeks of age and average body weight of 702±1.71g were used in the present study. The rabbits were randomly assigned to 5 equal treatment groups (n=12/group). Rabbits in treatment group 1 were fed basal diets without Pedicoccus acidilactici (T₁), while rabbits in treatment groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were fed diets containing Pedicoccus acidilactici 0.1 g (1x10⁹ cfu/g)/kg basal diet for different periodsonce a week (T₂),twice a week (T₃), skip a day (T₄) and through the experimental days (T₅). The experimental lasted for 8 weeks.
Result show that rabbits in T₂ and T₃groupsrecorded significantly (P≤ 0.01) and (P <0.05) higher final body weight, daily weight gain and improved feed conversion ratio. Once a week system (T2) had significantly the best values of CP, CF, EE, DCP, TDN, DE digestibility values, carcass weight and dressing percentages as compared to other treatment groups. Moreover, total protein, AST, albumin, total cholesterol, total lipids and LDL were significantly (P≤0.01) decreased in T₂. However, there were a significant increase in WBCs, IgG and IgM with T₂ group. Pediococcus acidilactici (PA) supplementation increased significant the population of total bacterial count in T₂, T₃and T₄ as compare toT₁ and T₅while_, total volatile fatty acid and ammonia concentration were not significantly affected by the different treatments.
Rabbits in T₂ and T₃ have more villi and intestinal glands of the tunica mucosa, also T₂, T₃andT₄ groups were recorded high economic efficiency.
Conclusively, it is concluded that supplemented0.1g Pedicoccus acidilactici (1x10⁹ cfu/g)/kg rabbit diet for once, twice a week improve growth performance traits and economic efficiency, without any adverse side effect of growing rabbits.

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