Some productive and reproductive performance of rabbits as affected by supplementing Nigella sativa to the diet [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Three hundreds and seventy-six Californian(Cal) rabbits were used in the present study to evaluate some productive and reproductive capabilities of growing and mature rabbits as affected by Nigella sativa seeds in the diets. The present study included two experiments. The first experiment was lasted 40 days and carried out during growing period on 260 weaned Cal rabbits aged 30 days. The second experiment was lasted 4 months and carried out on 90 multiparous does and 26 sexual mature bucks of Cal rabbits aged 9 months. All animals in two experiments were divided into two equal comparable experimental groups (130 growing rabbits, 13 bucks and 45 does in two sequence parities in each group). The first group was kept untreated (control) and fed the commercial diet, while the other group (treated) was fed the same diet and supplemented with 0.15% Nigella sativa (Black seeds) seeds, during the experimental period. The pelleted rations fed to the experimental animals were covering the nutritional requirements of the growing and mature phase of rabbits according to NRC (1994) recommendations. The results obtained revealed that, daily body weight gain , feed efficiency and feed conversion values of growing Cal rabbits fed diet supplemented with 0.15% Nigella sativa seeds improved significantly (P≤0.05) (P≤0.05). Daily feed intake was insignificantly higher than those of control group. Feeding diet supplemented with 0.15% Nigella sativa seeds increased significantly (P≤0.05) dressing % and carcass and internal organs weight (absolute and relative) represented by weights and percentages of each of spleen; kidneys; liver; heart and lungs, as well as, blood picture of growing Cal rabbits represented by (red and white blood cells count; hemoglobin concentration and hematocrite percentage) and some blood constitute such plasma total protein and its fractions (albumin; globulin and albumin/ globulin ratio). Some enzymes indicated liver activity of growing Cal rabbits represented by values of each of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT) also increased significantly (P≤0.05) due to supplementation of Nigella sativa seeds in the diet. Supplementing 0.15% Nigella sativa seeds in the diet of the Cal rabbit bucks improved significantly (P≤0.05) their reproductive capability represented by libido and physical semen quality (semen-ejaculate volume; advanced-sperm motility; live and normal spermatozoa; acrosome status and sperm-cell concentration per ml and per ejaculate); gonads and pituitary gland weight; scrotal circumference and testicular index. Testosterone concentration and mating activity of Cal rabbit bucks ate diet supplemented with 0.15% Nigella sativa seeds were significantly (P≤0.05) higher than those of fed without Nigella sativa seeds (control group). Cal rabbit does fed diet contained 0.15% Nigella sativa seeds and mated naturally by using bucks fed the same treated diet recorded kindling rate, litter size and weight at birth; milk yield and pre-weaning mortality rate significantly (P≤0.05) better than those of received untreated diet (control group). It can be concluded that supplementation Nigella sativa seeds to Cal rabbit diet showed a great role in enhancing the immune system, improved growth performance, blood metabolites and reproductive performance. From the economic point 0.15% Nigella Sativa seeds is recommended for both growing and mature (bucks + does) rabbits.

Summary in Arabic.

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