STIMULATION EFFECT OF THE BEE POLLEN ADMINISTRATION ON GROWTH AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE IN MALE RABBITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Poultry Nutrition Research and Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Nadi El-Said St., Egypt.

2 Depart. Of Poul. Prod., Fac. of Agric., Damietta Univ., Damietta, Egypt.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of orally bee-pollen (BP) administration as a feed additive on performance of male rabbits during pre- and post-puberty period. Ninety-six weaned New-Zealand White (NZW) male rabbits aged 35 days and weighing 658 g ± 6.30  were divided into four groups (24 in each). All animals were fed the same commercial diet and receiving a water solution containing 0 (control, G1), 200 (G2), 300 (G3) and 400 mg (G4) bee pollen/kg body weight, respectively, once-daily during the experimental period (184 days).Daily weight gain and daily feed intake were recorded from weaning up to 92 d of age (marketing age). At this time, four rabbits from each group were slaughtered and immediately their genitalia were taken and dissected. Blood samples were collected at 120 and 150 d of age from five bucksof each group. At maturity age reproductive traits were recorded. Results revealed that orally BP administration at the highest level (G4) significantly (P≤0.01) increased the final body weight, daily weight gain, feed efficiency and plasma testosterone concentration. The earlier puberty age was obtained by 400 mg BP/kg BW administration. Libido, mating activity, advanced-sperm motility, alive spermatozoa and morphological normal spermatozoa were significantly (P≤0.05) increased by orally BP administration, being optimized for 400 mg/kg BW. Histological examination of the testis and epididymis of treated rabbitsrevealed an increased seminiferous tubule diameter with active spermatogenic cells when compared with control group.
 In conclusion, the addition of 400 mg/kg BW to the growing and mature NZW male rabbit diets improved growth and reproductive performance.
 

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