EFFECTS OF ZINC AND CORN OIL SUPPLEMENTATION ON REPRODUCTION AND GROWTH OF NEW ZEALAND WHITE RABBITS IN NORTH SINAI | ||
| Journal of Animal and Poultry Production | ||
| Article 5, Volume 25, Issue 4, April 2000, Pages 1991-2004 | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jappmu.2000.258936 | ||
| Author | ||
| M. M. Shetaewi, | ||
| Department of Animal Production, College of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Suez Canal University, El-Arish, North Sinai, Egypt. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Thirty-six weanling and 28 adult female New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were utilized in two consecutive experiments under North Sinai conditions. In Experiment 1, weanling rabbits (5 wk old, 644±14 g BW) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups, each included three cages with three rabbits/cage. Rabbits of all groups were fed the concentrate diet ad libitum and were offered drinking natural-underground water. The treatment groups were designated as follows: 1) a control group (Ctrl) receiving the concentrate diet (104 mg Zn, by analysis) with no additional supplements, 2) a Zn-supplemented group (Zn) receiving 30 ppm supplemental zinc as ZnSO4.5H2O in the drinking water, 3) a corn oil-supplemented group (Oil) receiving 5 g.head-1.d-1 of corn oil added to the diet and 4) a Zn+corn oil-supplemented group (ZnOil) receiving 5 g.head-1.d-1 of corn oil added to the diet plus 30 ppm supplemental zinc as ZnSO4.5H2O in the drinking water. At the end of the 56-day growing period, 24 rabbits were chosen at random and slaughtered; serum samples were analyzed for selected constituents and carcass traits were evaluated. The ZnOil group had the highest average daily gain (25 g/d) followed by the Oil group (23.5 g/d), whereas the Zn and the Ctrl groups were almost similar. Daily feed intake did not differ (P>.10) due to treatment. Feed efficiency was improved by 32% in the ZnOil and Oil groups compared with the Ctrl (P<.05). Changes in serum metabolites are tabulated and discussed. Dressing percentages were increased (P<.05) with addition of corn oil or Zn plus corn oil. In Experiment 2, the doe rabbits were individually housed in galvanized wire hutches and had free access to natural-underground water. The doe rabbits were divided into 1) a control group (DOE1) receiving ad libitum the concentrate diet (104 ppm Zn) with no additional supplements, and 2) a treated group (DOE2) receiving the control diet ad libitum plus 10 g.head-1.d-1 of corn oil added to the diet and 40 ppm supplemental Zn as ZnSO4.5H2O in the drinking water. Supplementation began 1 month before breeding and continued during pregnancy through lactation until weaning of the offspring at 25 d of age. Percentage of the does kindled/does bred did not differ (P>.10) between treatments. Compared to the control group, DOE2 had significantly higher litter size alive at birth. Pre-weaning mortality was lower (P<.05) in the DOE2 group than the DOE1 (35.2 vs 42.4 %). Litter size at weaning was higher (P<.05) in the DOE2 group than the DOE1 (4.18 vs 3.17 ± .5). Litter weaning weight was higher (+ 52 %, P<.05) and bunny weaning weight tended to be higher (+ 7 %, P>.10) in the DOE2 group than the DOE1. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Rabbits; corn oil; zinc; supplementation; reproduction; growth | ||
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