Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Animal ProductionDepartment, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
2
Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
3
Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
4
Depart. Of Poul. Prod., Fac. of Agric., Damietta Univ., Damietta, Egypt.
Abstract
A total number of 24 mature New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits, was used in this work to determine some physiological reactions of rabbit does as affected by housing system (indoors versus outdoors housing) during Egyptian summer season conditions. Also, to ameliorate the adverse effects of stressful summer conditions by using highly concentrated nutritional supplement (Synertox® component). The animals were equally and randomly divided into two groups each of 12 does. In each group, 6 does received water plus Synertox and the other 6 does did not receive Synertox (control).
Results showed that, the average values of rectal (RT) temperature was significantly lower in outdoors housing as compared to indoors one, and in the group received Synertox. The lowest and highest values of respiration rate (RR) were obtained in outdoors and indoors housing, respectively, for both control and treated groups. Synertox treatment caused significant (P≤0.01) decrease in RR in both housing models. The values of hematocrit, hemoglobin, red and white blood cells count, total proteins, albumin, aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, creatinine, urea-nitrogen and triiodothyronine, thyroxine hormone concentrations were significantly (P≤0.05) higher in does kept in outdoors housing than those kept in the indoors model. Treatment with Synertox caused significantly (P≤0.05) increase in most of these values under indoors housing condition.
Conclusively, it can be concluded that, in spite of indoors housing “double iron sheets roof” accommodate and ideal house for raising rabbits but the good ventilation and absence of walls and its intense short-wave radiation give best advantageous in the outdoors model, during summer season, in Egypt.
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