The present study was conducted to clarify the effect of Kemzyme or Bentonite and their mix as feed additives on the main semen characteristics, testicular enzyme markers, plasma testosterone level and fertility indices of bucks. Twenty four mature NZW rabbit bucks of about 4-month age and average body weight 2.400 kg were equally divided into four groups (6 in each). The first group was kept untreated (C). The second group (K) was supplemented with 0.1% "Kemzyme", a multi-enzyme. The third group (B) was supplemented with 2% sodium bentonite while the fourth group (KB) was supplemented with Kemzyme plus bentonite. The dietary treatment lasted for 10 weeks to cover a complete spermatogenic cycle. Results obtained revealed better sexual activity and higher libido of (K) and (KB) bucks. Besides, significant improvement in their different semen parameters, blood testosterone level, seminal total lipids concentration and the activities of different seminal enzymes. Such improvement was complementary to the higher fertility indices that also noticed on bucks of the same groups. Practically, it could be considered that (K) supplementation is a good reproductive promotant tool in the field of rabbit production.
As optimization of farm animals reproductive performance is a main objective, the present study was, undertaken to investigate the possible protective effect of vitamin C, vitamin E and olive pomace against dizocilpine (MK-801) induced oxidative stress and its resultant alterations on antioxidant status, spermiogram, hormonal, enzyme markers and histomorphology of testes of rabbit bucks during first and second month of the experiment. For this purpose thirty six male New Zealand White rabbits bucks were equally and randomly divided into six groups (6 in each) namely control injected with 1.0 ml sterile saline; second group was injected by dizocilpine at a dose 0.1 mg/kg. intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 5 consecutive days, the third group was subjected to dizocilpine and supplemented with "vitamin C" (1 g/L of drinking water) 1 g contain 100 I.U. vit C, while the forth group was subjected to dizocilpine and supplemented with "vitamin E" (50 ml/100 L of drinking water,1ml contain 20 I.U. vit E,) and those of the fifth group were supplemented with "vitamin C" plus "vitamin E". All five groups were fed the same basal diet, while the sixth group was subjected to dizocilpine and fed diet which contains olive cake meal (10%). Results in first month revealed (1) significant decrease in spermiogram, antioxidative parameters, testicular estradiol, testosterone, enzyme markers and clear pathological changes in testes of dizocilpine group; (2) Significant improvement in the measured parameters of groups subjected to dizocilpine and supplemented with "vitamin E", "vitamin C" and olive pomace; (3) significant increase of all measured parameters in the "vitamin C" plus "vitamin E" supplemented group. On the other hand, results at second month showed no difference between all groups in these parameters. Conclusively, it was obvious that the supplementation with vitamin C or/and vitamin E and olive pomace to male rabbits exposed to oxidative stress was associated with improved spermiogram, anti-oxidative parameters, hormonal and testicular enzymatic activities.
With the objective of improving the impact of multi-enzymes feed additives on cecal fermentation pattern and rabbit metabolism, sodium bentonite was co-supplemented with "Kemzyme", a multi-enzyme blend of Kemin Agrifoods Europe. Co-supplementation decreased cecal pH value, increased total VFAs concentration, increased propionate at the expence of acetate and butyrate, increased fermentation efficieny and VFAs utilization. Additionally, co-supplementation increased serum glucose concentration and decreased serum triglycerides and cholesterol concentrations. Cecal ammonia nitrogen and serum urea concentration were also decreased by co-supplementation while no change was recorded in serum total proteins concentration. The study therefore, suggested that, coupling bentonite to multi-enzyme feed additives could improve the impact of such enzymes on cecal fermentation pattern and rabbit metablism.
The study aimed to investigate the effects of exogenous digestive enzymes supplement on the activity of endogenous digestive enzymes and the histomorphology of the intestinal mucosa in growing rabbits. Two groups of growing rabbits (n=10 / each) were used, control and supplemented groups. Animals of supplemented group were given 1 % Kemzyme mixed in the ration for 8 successive weeks. Results revealed (1) significant increase in the final body weight and blood levels of glucose, total lipids and total protein, (2) significant increase in the activities of amylase, lipase and protease of serum, pancreatic tissues and intestinal contents, and (3) significant improvement in the villus length and crypt depth of the intestinal mucosa. Conclusively, it was obvious that the higher growth rate in kemzyme-supplemented rabbits was associated with improved digestive enzymatic activities and intestinal morphology. Also, it seemed that the exogenous enzymes did not get affected by the endogenous proteolytic activity of the gastro intestinal tract.
Seventy six New Zealand white rabbits of about 700 ± 80 gm live weight were used to evaluate the influence of diet supplemented with urea-bentonite combination on cecal characteristics, metabolism and rabbit growth performance. The rabbits were assigned into four dietary treatments control, bentonite-supplemented (with 2.5% sodium bentonite), urea-supplemented (with 1% urea) and urea -bentonite co-supplemented (1% urea+ 2.5% sodium bentonite). Co-supplementation decreased cecal pH value and ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N) concentration, increased total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration, increased butyrate at the expence of acetate and propionate, increased fermentation efficieny and bacterial mass. Additionally, co-supplementation increased serum total proteins and glucose concentrations while no change was recorded in serum urea and creatinine concentrations. Serum levels of AST were decreased in all experimental groups in comparison with control group whereas, serum levels of ALT were increased only by addition of urea alone. Moreover, urea-bentonite combination achieved an improvement in live weight gain and feed conversion effeciency by about 32% and 33% respectively with reference to control and thus considered cost effective. The study indicates that, a low cost urea-bentonite combination can replace about 50% of protein content of the high cost conventional rabbit feed and additionally improve rabbit growth performance that would be a valuable feeding strategy in developing countries.
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