An 8-week feeding experiment was designed to examine the influences of single or/and double strains of probiotic compared to antibiotic colistin on growth, hematological variables, blood serum metabolites and caecal fermentation in post-weaning rabbits exposed to heat stress conditions. A total of one hundred (35-day-old; average initial body weights 694 ± 7.33) New Zealand White rabbits were distributed into five groups. The experimental groups were the basal diet (control), or basal diet fortified with 120 mg colistin (COL); 5 Â 10 6 cfu Clostridium butyricum (CB); 2 Â 10 8 cfu Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 11181 (EF); or 2.5 Â 10 6 cfu C. butyricum þ 1 Â 10 8 cfu E. faecium/kg diet (CB þ EF). The results demonstrated that both the EF and CB þ EF treatments enhanced (p < .05) final body weight and overall feed conversion ratio compared to control and COL treatment. The carcase yield percentage and relative organs weight were insignificantly affected in all treated groups. The COL treatment increased (p < .05) mean corpuscular volume and albumin/globulin ratio compared to the control group. Compared to the control, all probiotic and COL groups decreased (p < .05) serum total triglycerides and very low-density lipoprotein. The concentrations of Serum total protein, globulin, highdensity lipoprotein, complement component 3, and lysozyme activity were higher (p < .05) in probiotic groups than those in the control group. Probiotic application improved the caecal total volatile fatty acids, propionate concentrations, and intestinal histomorphometry parameters. In conclusion, EF and CB þ EF probiotic supplements could be used as alternatives to antibiotic colistin to enhance the growth and health of weaned rabbits under heat stress conditions. HIGHLIGHTSTwo strains of probiotics as alternatives to antibiotics were studied in rabbits under heat stress conditions. Supplemental EF and CB þ EF probiotic enhanced rabbit growth and feed utilisation. Probiotic application improved biochemical and immunological indicators. The application of the tested probiotics improved the caecal volatile fatty acids production and the intestinal histomorphometry parameters. EF and CB þ EF probiotic supplements could be used as an alternative to antibiotics to promote the growth of rabbits under heat stress conditions.

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The performance of a corn steam flaker was evaluated to improve steam‐flaked corn (SFC) quality and investigate its feeding effects on nutritional value, productive performance, digestibility coefficients, and economic efficiency of growing rabbits. The flaker performance was studied as a function of change in steaming time, steam chest temperature and roll gap. Performance evaluation of the flaker was carried out in terms of flake thickness (FT), flake density (FD) and processing index (PI) as well as rabbit feeding trials. Experimental results clarified that values of FT, FD and PI are in the optimal limits under conditions of 118°C steam chest temperature, 40 min steaming time and 0.80 mm roll gap. Steam flaking is an acceptable process for rabbit feeds as SFC with optimal FD of between 0.36 and 0.39 kg/L corresponding to a PI of between 50.14% and 54.32% significantly improve the nutritional value of SFC compared with whole corn grain by 1.31%, 1.26% and 160.75% respectively. Also, SFC severely decreased the total count of harmful bacteria, fungi count and mortality rate compared to whole corn grain. Rabbits fed SFC processed to the density of 0.36 kg/L of the diet had better body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, organic matter digestibility, net revenue and economic efficiency of 9.29%, 8.89%, 4.65%, 15.62% and 15.43% compared with rabbit fed whole yellow corn grain respectively. In conclusion, it is convenient to entirely substitute whole corn grain with SFC to be utilised in rabbits' diets where achieved the best feeding effects results.

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The present study aimed to assess the effects of three probiotic-supplemented diets on growth, cecal fermentation, blood biochemical, and intestinal morphological features in growing rabbits reared under summer conditions. Rabbits were allotted into four groups: G1 rabbits were fed the basal diet (control), G2 rabbits received Enterococcus faecium (EF) and Clostridium butyricum (CB) complexes (1 × 108 and 2.5 × 106 cfu/kg diet, respectively), G3 rabbits were given CB (2.5 × 106 cfu/kg diet) and yeast complexes (1 g/kg diet), and G4 rabbits received EF (2 × 108 cfu/kg diet) and yeast (1 g/kg diet). G2 rabbits exhibited the highest performances in terms of enhanced body weight and weight gain, protein efficiency ratio and feed conversion ratio (P<0.05). Serum total protein, globulin, immunoglobulin M, and high-density lipoprotein concentrations were higher in probiotic-fed rabbits than those in controls. Additionally, lipid profile parameters were significantly reduced in the probiotic-fed rabbits, with the lowest concentrations measured in G4 rabbits (P<0.05). Rabbits given EF and CB had the highest total volatile fatty acid (VFA) and propionic acid levels and the lowest ammonia concentrations. Increased villi length and muscular layer thickness and reduced crypt depth were observed in rabbits receiving EF and CB compared with the values obtained in controls (P<0.05). In summary, supplementing fattening rabbit diets with EF and CB, as a novel formulation, might be a promising and easy method to enhance growth performance under hot climate conditions by improving the feed utilization, immune response, serum lipid profile, cecal VFA production, and duodenal morphology.

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