Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department Of Poultry Nutrition Research, Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt
2
Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of dietary supplementation of rocket (Eruca Sativa) seeds, carrot (Daucus Carota L) seeds or bay laurel (Bay laurel Nobilis L)., leavesand their mixed between them on some reproductive and productive traits, antioxidant status of doe rabbits and their offspring's, during the pregnancy and lactation periods, under the same conditions.Forty eight New Zealand White (NZW) doe rabbits about 6-7 months old (2.890-3.070 kg) were randomly allotted to eight dietary groups (6 rabbits in each treatment group). The first group was fed a basal diet as control group,(T1); while the experimental second to eighth groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 1.0% rocket seed (T2); 1.0% carrot seed (T3); 1.0% bay laurel leaf (T4); 0.5% rocket seed+0.5% carrot seed (T5); 0.5% carrot seed+0.5% bay laurel leaf (T6); 0.5% rocket seed+0.50% bay laurel leaf (T7) and 0.33% rocket seed+0.33% carrot seed+0.33% bay laurel leaf (T8), respectively. The experimental period lasted for 16 weeks.
Live body weights of does before and after parturition days and at first day of lactation were significantly higher (P=0.05, 0.002 and 0.01) in all treated rabbits as compared to control group respectively, while the response of does live body weights at weaning day was not significant.
All treated groups had significantly higher total feed intake during pregnancy and lactation when compared to the control group.
During pregnancy constantly plasma, antioxidant capacity and endogenous antioxidant enzymes in terms of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were higher in treated groups compared to the control group, however the effect was significant in some treated groups. Hence, lipid peroxidation in terms of TBARs was significantly reduced in all treated groups compared to control. Metabolic and sex hormones (T3 and E2) were significantly leveled up in all treated groups, while the effect on progesterone (P4) hormone was significantly higher for some treatments.
During lactation period weekly and total milk yield were higher in treated groups. The improvement of milk yield was significant increased in T3, T4, T7 and T8 compared to the control group. During lactation period data on plasma antioxidant, constituents and hormones followed the same trends as in these concerning pregnancy periods, where treated groups surpassed the control group and favored the parameters evaluated.
Litter size and weight at weaning significantly (P=0.01 and 0.004) increased for all feed additives compared to control, respectively. The same trends were observed in litters weight gain fed diets supplemented with different feed additives. Means of pre- weaning survival rate (%) from birth to weaning age in the treatments groups were better significantly than control group.
Conclusively, the findings of this study demonstrated that dietary supplementation of feed additives rocket seeds and carrot seeds or Bayleavesindividually or in combinationsimproved reproductive or productive performance of does, antioxidant status hormone function during pregnancy and lactation period of doe rabbits. Moreover, offspring of rabbits the best results were obtained supplementing 0.33% rocket seed+0.33% carrot seed+0.33% bay laurel leaf/ diet of litter weight at weaning.
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