Growth, Carcass Traits, Blood Hematology, Serum Metabolites, Immunity, and Oxidative Indices of Growing Rabbits Fed Diets Supplemented with Red or Black Pepper Oils

Abstract

Simple SummaryAfter the ban on antibiotics as growth promoters in poultry and animal diets, nutritionists had to find safe and efficient alternatives. Because of their beneficial properties, the oils of red and black pepper were chosen to be supplemented to rabbit diets. Promising results were obtained with regard to the ability of these oils to improve rabbits’ growth performance, immunity, and antioxidant status.AbstractThe present study aimed to examine the impacts of the supplementation of red or black pepper oils to rabbit diet as growth promoters on New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits. One hundred and forty weaned NZW rabbits were divided randomly into seven groups in a completely randomized experiment using different quantities of red pepper oil (RPO; 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g/kg diet) or black pepper oil (BPO; 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g/kg diet), in addition to the control group. Compared to the control, values of live body weight (LBW) for rabbits fed either RPO or BPO enriched diets were greater. The concentrations of serum triglycerides and cholesterol were lower (p < 0.01) in the RPO- and BPO-treated groups than in the control. Immunity parameters and antioxidant indices were improved in treated groups in comparison to the control. Dietary RPO or BPO can affect some growth traits, improve immunity parameters and the antioxidant activity, and decrease the lipid profile and lipid peroxidation. The use of 0.5 g RPO/kg diet as a dietary supplement had a larger effect on growth parameters than the other treatment groups.

Effect of Dietary Boswellia serrata Resin on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemistry, and Cecal Microbiota of Growing Rabbits

“…Feed intake (FI), live body weight (LBW), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were assessed according to the methodology described by Abdelnour et al (1). Rabbits biweekly were weighed throughout the experimental period to determine both LBW and BWG.…”

“…Natural growth enhancers are a broadly used approach to improve the utilization of nutrients after the ban on anti-biotics in rabbit diets (1). In the rabbit industry, phytogenic dietary additives are products derived from plants used in rabbit feeding to promote their productive performance (1,2).…”

“…Natural growth enhancers are a broadly used approach to improve the utilization of nutrients after the ban on anti-biotics in rabbit diets (1). In the rabbit industry, phytogenic dietary additives are products derived from plants used in rabbit feeding to promote their productive performance (1,2). Supplying animals and poultry with a diet enriched with phytogenic feed additives may have beneficial effects such as improvement of nutrient utilization, gut health and stimulation of immune system (1)(2)(3).…”

“…In the rabbit industry, phytogenic dietary additives are products derived from plants used in rabbit feeding to promote their productive performance (1,2). Supplying animals and poultry with a diet enriched with phytogenic feed additives may have beneficial effects such as improvement of nutrient utilization, gut health and stimulation of immune system (1)(2)(3). Some of the remedial features of herbal plants and/or their active molecules are due to their secondary metabolites effect (3,4).…”

Effects of Dietary Biological or Chemical-Synthesized Nano-Selenium Supplementation on Growing Rabbits Exposed to Thermal Stress

“…In Egypt, through the hot months, the elevated ambient temperature is exacerbated by the high relative humidity which is normally over 85% during the day and can reach 100% during the night [1][2][3][4]. Recently, the rabbit industry, as a source of animal proteins, has shown an increasing role in the national economies of in Mediterranean regions [5]. However, rabbits are very sensitive to heat stress due to an absence of sweat glands in their skin, except the ear area [4].…”