Background Probiotics are direct-fed microbial feed supplements which can modulate the gut microflora by competing intestinal pathogens through a competitive process. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bacillus subtilis or their mixture on blood biochemical constituents, intestinal pathogenic load and intestinal histological changes of growing New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. Results Serum total protein, albumin, and globulin were (P ≤ 0.05) increased for rabbits fed supplemented diets. Microbial pathogenic load of small intestinal and caecal contents (E. coli and C. perfringens) showed reduction (P ≤ 0.05) for rabbits fed supplemented diets, while, lactobacillus spp. recorded higher counts (P ≤ 0.05) in intestinal and caecal contents of rabbits fed probiotics supplemented diets than control group. Small intestine length, villus height and crypt depth were higher (P ≤ 0.05) with probiotic diets than control. Musculosa depth was depressed (P ≤ 0.05) with probiotic diets. Conclusions It could be concluded that the addition of Bacillus subtilis or Saccharomyces cerevisiae to diets of growing NZW rabbits by 0.1% is recommended to minimize the pathogenic intestinal load and increasing of beneficial lactobacillus strains as well as improving the intestinal barriers integrity.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of supplementing different levels of Nigella sativa oil in rations of growing lambs. In a feeding experiment lasted 90 days, 18 growing Ossimi lambs (6-7 months old) were randomly divided by weight into three equal groups (6 animals each). Individual animals in all groups were fed a uniform total mixed ration, offered at 3% of body weight, where the first group was without supplement (R1), while Nigella sativa oil was supplemented at 0.1 (R2) and 0.2% (R3) of dietary DM. Results indicated that additions of N. sativaoil didn't influenced feed intake, but it increased average body weight gain and feed efficiency. Nutrients digestibility values and dietary nitrogen utilization were higher with N. sativaoil rations than control. Ruminal fermentation parameters showed comparable pH values among groups at 0, 3 and 6 hrs. of feeding. Ruminal NH 3-N concentration was lower and TVFA concentration was higher for animal fed R2 and R3 rations than control. It's concluded that N. sativa oil could be added at 0.2 % of the daily feed as a natural growth enhancer of lambs.

Forty-five growing New Zealand White (NZW) male rabbits weighed 750.0 ± 5.8 g aged 6 weeks were used in a feeding experiment lasting 56 days. Rabbits were housed in a semi-climatic chamber at a mean ambient temperature of 33.1°C and relative humidity of 43%. The rabbits were placed in three equal groups of five replicates. The first group was fed on free moringa diet (control, R1), while R2 and R3 groups were fed diets supplemented with 0.5% and 1.0% moringa dry leaves respectively. Daily feeds and water were offered ad libitum. At the end of the feeding period, three random animals of each group were slaughtered to investigate intestinal and caecal contents of pathogens and changes of intestinal and caecal tissues. The results indicated that there were no statistical differences among groups concerning daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio; however, slight improvement was noticed with rabbits fed R3. Intestinal microbial load, namely total plate count of Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens and mould, was reduced (P < 0.01) with R2 and R3 diets compared with the control (R1). A similar trend was also noticed on caecal microbial load. Histological examination of jejunum tissues showed clear increases in villus height, villus : crypt ratio and obvious depth of caecal tunica mucosa, which might reveal better absorption of nutrients and microbial metabolites. It could be concluded that rabbits fed moringa-supplemented diets showed better feed conversion and intestinal and caecal histological structure, with clear reduction of gastro-intestinal pathogenic bacterial load under the hot climatic conditions.

he present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of some natural antioxidants supplements (moringa dry leaves and rosemary) to growing rabbit diets on alleviating the negative impact of heat stress on growth performance and hematological changes. In a feeding experiment lasted 63 days, forty five growing New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits aged six weeks and weighed in average 750±5.8g were randomly blocked by weight into five groups (9 animals each) and each group consists of three replicates (3 animals each), where the 1 st group fed a basal ration free of moringa or rosemary dry leaves (R1-control), while the 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th and 5 th groups were fed respectively, on the same basal ration supplemented with 0.5% moringa dry leaves (R2), 1%moringa dry leaves (R3), 0.5% rosemary dry leaves (R4) and 1% rosemary dry leaves (R5). Temperatures have been controlled artificially to be 33.1±0.5°C, and the level of relative humidity at 43±3%. Experimental rations were offered ad lib. Growth performance was recorded weekly and hematology examination was evaluated at the end of the feeding experiment. The results showed that, moringa dry leaves (MDL) composition was on DM basis; 19.52% CP, 7.51% EE, 7.23% CF, 53.08% NFE and 12.66% ash and rosemary dry leaves (RDL) composition was on DM basis; 4.10% CP, 16.32% EE, 18.97% CF, 52.37% NFE and 5.24% ash. Feeding rabbits on rations supplemented with MDL or RDL did not influence body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and drinking water. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, WBCs and neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio were improved with rations contained MDL or RDL (0.5% or 1%) than control. In addition, platelets count, neutrophils and lymphocytes were not affected by feeding treatments. Under the conditions of the present study, it is concluded that, MDL and RDL supplementation might have positive effects on growing rabbits reared under heat stress conditions when supplemented to rations at 0.5% or 1.0%.

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