PERFORMANCE OF GROWING MALE RABBITS AS AFFECTED BY FEEDING SYSTEM AND DIETARY Nigella sativa SEEDS SUPPLEMENTATION DURING MILD AND HOT PERIODS OF EGYPT | ||||
| Fayoum Journal of Agricultural Research and Development | ||||
| Article 2, Volume 25, Issue 2, July 2011, Page 12-21 PDF (449.19 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Research articles. | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/fjard.2011.195498 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| I.F.M. Marai1; U.M. Abdel-Monem1; G.E. Aboul Fotouh2 | ||||
| 1Department of Animal Production, Fac. of Agric., Zagazig Univ., Zagazig | ||||
| 2Department of Animal Production, Fac. of Agric., Al-Fayoum Univ., Al-Fayoum | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| One hundred and twenty New Zealand White growing rabbits were used to study the effects of period of the year (60 animals in the mild, and another 60 in the hot period), feeding system (30 ad libitum and 30 fed only at night per period), and Nigella sativa seeds dietary supplementation (0, 0.5 and 1% seeds, 10 animals per each group of Nigella sativa seeds dietary supplementation). The Temperature– humidity index (THI) values estimated were 18.9 and 29.7 at mild and hot periods, indicating absence of heat stress during the mild period and exposure to severe heat stress during the hot period. Exposure to severe heat stress decreased (P<0.01) feed intake (by 14.6%), live body weight (by 17.4%), daily live body gain (by 28.3%) than in the mild period. Dressing percentage and prime cuts percentage were also decreased (by 11.7 and 17.3%, respectively) in the hot period. Contrarily, heat stress increased (P<0.01) water intake (by 86.3%), feed conversion (by 19.85%), rectum temperature (by 2.6), respiration rate (by 14.5%) and serum urea-N (by 21.8%) by exposure to severe heat stress. Serum total proteins, albumin, globulin and creatinine were insignificantly affected by period of the year. Feeding growing rabbit only during the night improved (P<0.05) feed intake (by 6.8%), live body weight (by 5.6%) and daily live body gain (by 10.2%) compared to ad libitum feeding system during all day. Similarly, dressing percentage and prime cuts were increased (by 4.4 and 7.4%, respectively). Water consumption of animals fed only during the night decreased (by 22.5%; P<0.05) than of those fed all the day. Feed conversion rate, rectum temperature, respiration rate, serum total proteins, albumin, globulin, urea and creatinine, were insignificantly affected by feeding system. Dietary supplementation with 1.0% Nigella sativa seeds increased (P<0.05) feed intake, live body weight, serum total protein and serum globulin than without supplementation. Dressing percentage and prime cuts were also increased with Nigella sativa supplementation. Feed conversion, water consumption, daily live gain weight, rectum temperature, respiration rate, serum albumin, urea and creatinine were insignificantly affected with Nigella sativa seeds dietary supplementation. It is recommended to feed rabbits only at night, under the warm sub-tropical environmental conditions and to supplement growing rabbits with 1.0% N. sativa seeds. All interaction effects between period of the year and feeding system on the studied traits were not significant. Therefore, the main effects were only discussed. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| feeding system; heat stress; Nigella sativa seeds dietary supplementation; growing rabbit traits | ||||
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