IMPACT OF ADDING CITRIC, LACTIC ACIDS AND PROPYLENE GLYCOL. 1. GROWING RABBITS PERFORMANCE

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Faculty of Technology and Development, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.

2 Animal Production Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine if individual citric, lactic acids, propylene glycol or mixture of them supplementing to drinking water would have a beneficial effect on performance of growing rabbits or not. Seventy five weaned New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits, 5 weeks of age with an average ( 651± 22 g ) were divided into five groups (15 rabbits in each). Rabbits of group (1) received plain water, rabbits of groups 2,3,4 received water supplemented with 0.5 ml/ Litter citric, lactic or Propylene glycol. Fifth group received a combination of Citric+ Llactic+ Propylene glycol with 0.25 ml/Litter of each. Rabbits were fed ad libitum on a commercial diet containing 17% CP and 2700 Kcal DE. The study was continued during fattening period, from 6-12 weeks of age.
The results showed that, citric, lactic acids or propylene glycol separately or combined decreased  significantly total anaerobic bacterial, E.coli count, cecum pH and ammonia concentration in cecum contents. Treatments increased significantly lactobacilli counts and total volatile fatty acids in the  cecum contents. Mixture of organic acids and propylene glycol increased significantly the hematocrit values,  white blood cells counts, plasma globulin  and lymphocyte percentage while decrease  blood pH. Values of total protein , albumin and each of plasma AST and ALT increased but within the normal range. Significant improvement were observed in body weight gain, feed conversions and viability percentage during  fattening  period
Conclusively, it can be concluded that supplementation of citric, lactic acids or propylene showed a great role in enhancing the immune system, improved growth performance, blood metabolites that due to improving cecum media as a results of increase total VFAs production and decrease each of total anaerobic bacterial and  cecum pH which finally minimize pathogenic bacteria and digestive disorders.
     

 

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