الفهرس 
Oxidative Stress
MATERIALS AND METHODSOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The present study was carried out at Rabbit Research Unit and
Poultry Physiology Laboratory, Poultry Production Department, Faculty of
Agriculture, Ain Shams University and Animal Production Department,
National Research Centre, during the period from January to May 2014.
The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of some
natural additives, such as moringa dry leaves and rosemary dry leaves, on
body weight gain, nutrients digestibility, dietary nitrogen utilization,
hematological and blood biochemical profile, antimicrobial potentiality
and histological changes of growing rabbits reared under artificial heat
stress conditions.
Sixty three male growing New Zealand White rabbits (NZW) aged
six weeks old with an average body weight of 750.0±5.8g were distributed
by weight in seven equal groups. The first group was of control group, the
second and third groups were fed diets supplied by moringa dry leaves
powder (0.5% and 1.0%, respectively), the fourth and fifth groups were fed
diets supplied by rosemary dry leaves powder (0.5% and 1.0%,
respectively), the sixth group was fed the basal diet supplemented with
0.25% moringa dry leaves powder+0.25% rosemary dry leaves powder,
while the seventh group fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.5% moringa
dry leaves powder+0.5% rosemary dry leaves powder. Feed was offered
ad-libtum and water was free choice during the experimental period which
lasted 9 weeks. Electrical heaters have been used to control the temperature
inside the station at 33.1±0.5°C, and the level of relative humidity at
43±3%.
Data were collected to determine the effect of different treatments
on live body weight, weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion.
At the end of feeding experiment, three animals from each group have been
slaughtered to collect blood samples for determine carcass characteristics,
hematology profile, blood constituents and histological changes of liver,
jejunum and cecum. Also, intestinal and cecal content samples have been
collected to evaluate intestinal microbial potentiality.The results obtained can be summarized as follows:
1. Live body weight and body weight gain of rabbits did not
significantly influenced among experimental groups.
2. Feed consumption and feed conversion ratio were numerically
improved in all treatment groups compared with control group,
where the best values were recorded for mixture 0.5%
moringa+0.5% rosemary group followed by 0.5% moringa group.
3. Water consumption has not affected among experimental groups.
4. Carcass characteristic traits were not affected in treated rabbits.
5. Nutrients digestibility coefficients and nutritive values of the
experimental diets were not affected with different dietary
treatments.
6. Nitrogen balance was significantly increased among experimental
groups, where the best value was recorded for 1% moringa group.
7. Hemoglobin levels were significantly increased among
experimental groups, where the best values were established for
groups fed high and low mixtures of moringa and rosemary,
respectively.
8. Different dietary supplementations did not affect plasma glucose,
total protein, albumin and globulin.
9. Plasma total lipids of growing rabbits were significantly decreased
in all treatment groups compared by the control one, where the
lowest value obtained was recorded for group fed mixture 0.25%
moringa+ 0.25% rosemary.
10. There were significant decreases in plasma cholesterols and low
density lipoprotein levels of growing rabbits which fed different
supplements compared with the control one.
11. Moringa supplementation to growing rabbit’s diets numerically
increased tri-iodothyronine (T3) levels.
12. Plasma corticosterone levels were significantly decreased among
experimental groups, where the lowest values were recorded for
groups fed 0.5% moringa.13. Liver enzyme activity (AST) was significantly decreased by dietary
supplementation with mixture of 0.25% moringa + 0.25%
rosemary.
14. Hemolysatic malondialdehyde level was significantly decreased
among experimental groups, where the lowest value was recorded
for group fed mixture of 0.25% moringa + 0.25% rosemary.
15. Hemolysatic total antioxidant capacity significantly increased
among experimental groups, where the highest value was recorded
for group fed on diets supplied with 0.5% rosemary.
16. Catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase
activities were significantly increased among experimental groups
compared with control one.
17. Intestinal and cecal bacteria enumeration significantly decreased
among experimental groups compared with control group.
18. Dietary treatments increased the number and size of intestinal villi,
crypts of Lieberkühn and Brunner’s glands. The best observations
are in moringa (0.5% and 1.0%); rosemary (0.5%) and the two
combined treatments.
19. Cecum histology was not obviously changed with treatments,
however, there are many crypts and goblet cells associated with
moringa (1.0%); rosemary (1.0%) and the low level of both (R6)
supplementation.
20. Liver histopathological sections showed some changes related to
dietary additives, where the size of central vein, bile ducts, blood
sinuses and the presence of Kupffer cells were different, especially
between the control and experimental groups.
21. In general, no signs of hepatotoxicity were detected although some
binucleated cells, fatty cirrhotic and congested areas could be seen,
due mainly to, the higher metabolism of growing rabbits under
study.Taking in consideration the previous studies by many investigators
about the toxicity level of moringa leaves (600-800 mg/ kg LBW)
and the recommended dose of rosemary leaves (80-120 mg/ kg
LBW), it is concluded from our results that:
Dietary supplementation with moringa dry leaves powder (0.5% or
1.0%), rosemary dry leaves powder (0.5% or 1.0%) or a combination of
these supplements may be used as alternatives growth promoters, for
enhancing productive performance of growing rabbits reared under heat
stress conditions, without any adverse effect on their physiological
responses.
Since, it is suggested to use moringa dry leaves powder by level of
0.5% or combination of moringa and rosemary leaves, both of 0.5% in diets
of growing rabbits reared under heat stress conditions.