Rabbit performance as affected by Origanum majorana in diets [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Four hundred seventy-two New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were used in the present study to evaluate productive and reproductive capabilities of rabbits fed diets contained Origanum majorana. The present study included two experiments. The first experiment lasted 40 days and was carried out during growing period (from weaning on 30 days age to marketing age on 70 days) by using 300 growing NZW rabbits. The second experiment lasted 4 months and was carried out on 152 multiparous does and 20 sexual mature bucks of NZW rabbits aged nine months. The rabbits were divided into two comparable groups (150 growing rabbits, 10 bucks and 76 does in two sequence parities in each group). The first group was kept untreated as a control and fed diets according to NRC (1994) recommendations, while the second group fed the same diets, but supplemented with 3% Origanum majorana. The results obtained revealed that, daily body weight gain; feed efficiency and final body weight of growing NZW rabbits were significantly (P≤0.05) higher due to feed diets contained Origanum Majorana compared to control ones. The treatment also significantly (P≤0.05) increased dressing percentage, carcass weight, internal organs weight, blood picture and some blood serum constitute of growing NZW rabbits. Feeding diets supplemented with Origanum Majorana significantly (P≤0.05) improved the reproductive capability of NZW rabbit bucks represented by values of each of libido, physical semen quality, scrotal circumference, testicular index and mating activity in addition to testosterone concentration. Adding Origanum Majorana to the diets of rabbit does recorded significantly (P≤0.05) better kindling rate, litter size and weight at birth; milk yield and pre-and post-weaning mortality rate than those untreated does. It can be concluded that supplementation of 3% Origanum majorana to rabbit diets showed a great role in enhancing the immune system, growth performance, blood metabolites and reproductive performance. From the economic point 3% Origanum majorana is recommended for both growing and mature (buck + doe) rabbits.

Summary in Arabic.

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