EFFECT OF CARVACROL ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND SOME IMMUNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF GROWING RABBITS

Hekal, Amal M; Saidahmed, Adel; Easa, Fadila; Ali, Wael; Mousa, Sabry

doi:10.21608/ejrs.2016.42112

EFFECT OF CARVACROL ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND SOME IMMUNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF GROWING RABBITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Rabbit; Turkey and Water Fowl Breeding Research., Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

² Department of Rabbit; Turkey and Water Fowl Breeding Research, Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/ejrs.2016.42112

Abstract

A total number of 40 New Zealand White rabbit males at 4 weeks of age and averaged 542.50g body weight were used in this study. Animals were distributed randomly into four experimental groups (10 rabbits each). The 1^st group was served as a control group without any supplementation in drinking water. Whereas, the carvacrol was added with concentrations of 0.13, 0.26 and 0.39 ml/liter in drinking water for representing the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th groups, respectively. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. The obtained results could be summarized as follows: rabbit males supplied with 0.26 ml carvacrol/liter had the best value for live body weight and live body weight gain followed by rabbit provided 0.39 and 0.13 ml carvacrol/liter, respectively compared with the control group. Supplementation with 0.13 and 0.39 ml carvacrol/liter improved significantly (P≤0.05) feed conversion ratio compared with other groups (0.26 ml carvacrol/liter and control). There were significantly (P≤0.05) increased in the erythrocytes and leukocytes counts, and hemoglobin, hematocrit value and lymphocytes percentage due to providing rabbit different levels of carvacrol. Rabbits supplemented 0.39 ml carvacrol/liter recorded the highest counts of both erythrocytes and leukocytes, and hemoglobin , hematocrit value and lymphocytes percentage, followed by rabbits provided 0.26 and 0.13 ml carvacrol/liter, respectively. Providing rabbit different levels of carvacrol significantly (P≤0.05)improved neutrophil/ lymphocytes ratio compared to control rabbits. Generally, rabbits drinking 0.39 ml carvacrol/liter recorded the best value of neutrophil/ lymphocytes ratio, followed by rabbits drinking 0.26 and 0.13 ml carvacrol/liter, respectively, compared to control group. Providing rabbit different levels of carvacrol significantly (P≤0.05) reduced the total counts of anaerobic and E. coli bacteria, at the same time they increased the beneficial bacteria counts (lactobacillus),rabbits supplemented 0.39 ml carvacrol/liter recorded the lowest count of both anaerobic and E. coli bacteria, and the highest count of lactobacillus followed by rabbits drinking 0.26 and 0.13 ml carvacrol/liter, respectively. It could be concluded that drinking rabbit different levels of carvacrol significantly improved the growth performance, carcass characteristic and some immunological parameters of growing rabbit males.

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