Nisin is a bacteriocin marketed as Nisaplin. The aim of our work was to test its in vivo effect in a rabbit model; its effect on phagocytic activity (PA) and morphometry has not so far been studied. Post-weaning rabbits (48), 5 weeks old (both sexes, Hycole breed), were divided into the experimental (E) and the control groups (C), 24 animals in each. They were fed a commercial diet with access to water ad libitum. Rabbits in E had nisin additionally administered to their drinking water (500 IU-20 μg per animal/day) for 28 days. The experiment lasted 42 days. On day 28, significant decrease in coagulase-positive (CoPS) staphylococci and coliforms was noted (p < 0.01) in faeces of group E compared with C. Pseudomonads and clostridiae were also significantly reduced (p < 0.001; p < 0.05) and slight decrease was also in CoNS and enterococci. On day 42, coliforms were still significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in faeces; slight decrease in CoPS and pseudomonads was noted. In the caecum, significant decrease in pseudomonads (p < 0.05) was noted on day 28; slight decrease in coliforms. In the appendix slight decrease in coliforms, pseudomonads was obtained on both days. PA was increased significantly in E on days 28, 42 (p < 0.001). Biochemical parameters were not influenced; nor were volatile fatty acids or lactic acid in the chymus. Nisin application did not evoke oxidative stress. In group E, an increase in average body weight gain (about 9.4 %) was noted. The villus height/crypt depth ratio was not influenced; that is, resorption surface and functionality of mucosa were not influenced.

Simonová M.P., Chrastinová Ľ., Mojto J., Lauková A., Szábová R., Rafay J. (2010): Quality of rabbit meat and phyto-additives. Czech J. Food Sci., 28: 161-167.The consumption of healthy and nutritive food (rich in proteins and low in cholesterol and lipid contents) is a preferred factor with the contemporary consumers. In addition, natural alternatives are requested to replace the additives used up to now but recently banned. To reach the above given condition, phyto-additives represent a good alternative. The aim of this study was to examine the physicochemical properties and amino acid composition of rabbit meat after the enrichment of rabbit diet with oregano, sage, and Eleutherococcus senticosus extracts, and to make a comparison with the commercial product XTRACT and control samples (without plant extracts). The addition of oregano and sage extracts as well as El. senticosus in the rabbit diet positively influenced the physicochemical properties of rabbit meat by increasing its energy value (P < 0.05 -sage). Supplementing rabbits feed with oregano and sage extracts led to an improvement on the amino acid composition (P < 0.01; P < 0.001 -serine). These findings are also supported by the good health state of rabbits. Outgoing from these results, the diet enriched with the plant extracts is beneficial for the health state of rabbits involving the nutritional quality of rabbit meat in connection with consumers. Nowadays, consumers are increasingly interested in a healthy lifestyle, e.g. energy and nutritional values of foods, which are rich in protein and low in cholesterol and lipid contents. From the nutritional point of view, rabbit meat is flavourful and easily digested, with high nutritional and dietetic properties: this meat contains 20-21% of proteins, unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and linoleic; 60% of all fatty acids), potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium, it has low concentrations of fat, cholesterol, and sodium (Bielanski et al. 2000;Dalle Zotte 2002;Hermida et al. 2006). That is why the rabbit meat is better digested as compared to other kinds of meat (beef, lamb, or pork;Enser et al. 1996) and is recommended for consumption, e.g. for persons with cardiovascular illnesses (Hu & Willett 2002). Moreover, the energy value of rabbit meat (427-849 kJ/100 g of fresh meat) is comparable to various commonly consumed sorts of red meat (Dalle Zotte 2002). KeywordsThe studies concerned with the quality of rabbit meat have focused mainly on biochemical or biophysical traits such as pH, water holding capacity, or colour (Pla et al. 1998; Hernández et al. 2000). The results on the sensory properties, e.g. appearance, texture, flavour, and others, are also 162 Vol. 28, 2010, No. 3: 161-167 Czech J. Food Sci. (Lewis et al. 2003;Lauková et al. 2006;Marcin et al. 2006;Simonová et al. 2008). While most of the studies deal with the moderating effects of the environmental, feeding, genetic, and biological (age and weight) factors as well as those of technological (pre-slaughter, transportation, processing) c...

Faixová, Z., ·. Faix, ª. Leng, P. Váczi, Z. Maková, R. Szabóová: Haematological, Blood and Rumen Chemistry Changes in Lambs Following Supplementation with Se-yeast. Acta Vet Brno 2007, 76: 3-8 The effects of feed supplementation with organic form of selenium (Se) on ruminal enzyme activities (ALT, AST, GGT, ALP and GDH), blood enzyme activity (GPx), serum enzyme activities (LDH, CK) and haematological indicators were examined in lambs. Ten animals were divided into two groups and fed experimental diets for 3 months. The first group received a basic diet (BD) providing a daily intake 50.6 µg of Se only. The diet for the second group consisted of BD supplemented with selenium 0.3 mg·kg -1 DM in the form of Se-enriched yeast and giving a total daily intake 278 µg of Se per animal. Lambs of the second group which were fed additional Se had increased concentrations of Se in plasma (P < 0.001), greater activity of blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P < 0.001) and lower activity of creatine kinase (CK) (P < 0.05) in serum. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (P < 0.001) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) (P < 0.001) in ruminal fluid were found to be significantly higher in Se-yeast group of lamb compared with the group given BD with no differences for Se concentration in ruminal fluid and ALT, AST and GGT activities. Total erythrocyte count and osmotic resistance of red blood cells were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in selenium-supplemented animals. White blood cell count was increased in lambs given BD (P < 0.05). It was concluded that Se supplementation can influence ruminal enzyme activities and cell membrane resistance of lambs.

The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of Enterocin (Ent) 4231 produced by Enterococcus faecium. The group of 48 rabbits (Hy-Plus breed) was divided into experimental (EG) and control (CG) group. In EG Ent 4231 was applied for 21 days in a dose of 50 μL/animal/day into drinking water. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Samples were collected on day 0-1, day 7, day 21 (3 weeks of administration) and on day 42 (3 weeks after cessation of application) to measure the occurence of Eimeria sp. oocysts. Samples of caecal contents were collected on days 21 and 42 to determine bacterial counts. The phagocytic activity was examined on days 0-1, 21 and 42. On days 21 and 42 the reduction of Clostridium-like sp. was detected in EG (difference 1.53 log10 CFU/g; 1.57 log10 CFU/g) in comparison with CG. In EG on day 7 the decrease of E. coli (difference 1.30 log10 CFU/g) was also noted in comparison with CG. In EG prolonged immunostimulative effect (p<0.001) was observed on day 42 in comparison with CG. The oocysts of Eimeria sp. were reduced in EG comparing with CG at day 42. Enrichment of the diet for rabbits with Ent 4231 did not influence biochemical, zootechnical parameters and the values of caecal content volatile acids during the whole experiment