Abstract:The study aimed to evaluate the effect of Arak (Salvadora persica) as feed additive on performance of pre and post-sexual maturity of rabbit males. A control diet was formulated with an estimated proportion of 18% crude protein and 14% crude fi bre. Another three diets were formulated supplementing control diet with 0.1 0.2 or 0.3% Arak. The Arak used in this study contained (as % DM basis): 27.9 ash, 12.4 crude protein, 1.7 ether extract and 8.0 crude fi bre. Ninety-six weaned Black Baladi (BB) male rabbits aged 30 d weighing 570±8.30 g (mean±standard error) were used (24 per diet). Daily weight gain and daily feed intake were recorded from weaning up to 70 d of age (slaughtering commercial age). At this time four rabbits from each group were slaughtered and genitalia were immediately taken and dissected. Blood samples were collected at 120 and 150 d of age from fi ve bucks from each group. At the age of maturity several reproductive traits were also recorded. Final body weight at 70 d of growing BB rabbit males increased linearly and quadratically (P<0.001) with maximum Arak inclusion (0.23%), whereas feed effi ciency improved linearly by 0.16±0.061 g/g (P=0.011) per increment of 1 unit of Arak inclusion. Weight of sexual-accessory glands at 70 d of age increased linearly and quadratically (P<0.01) as dietary concentrations of Arak increased, the highest values for genital organs weight being obtained by using 0.2% Arak. Plasma testosterone concentration, from 120 d to age of puberty, increased linearly by 5.87±1.69 ng/mL (P<0.001) with Arak inclusion. The minimum puberty age was obtained by 0.2% Arak inclusion (P=0.024). Sexual desire, mating activity, semen-ejaculate volume, advanced-sperm motility, sperm-cell concentration and total-sperm output were linearly and quadratically affected by Arak inclusion (P<0.05), being optimized for 0.2% Arak inclusion. In conclusion, the addition of 0.2% Arak (Salvadora persica) to the growing and mature BB male rabbit diets improved growth and reproductive capabilities.

Current experiment conducted on 5850 hatching egg (av. 59.5g) purchased from EL-KASABE for investment Shiver® Breeder farms (34 weeks old). A total of 2250 egg were assigned into 5 treatments of 450 egg representing storage periods of (0, 7, 14, 21 and 29 days) and the other 3600 egg were subdivide into 4 groups of 900 egg each according to SPIDES-short period incubation (fresh, 0, 2.5 and 5 hours) at 99.5°F. After SPIDES, treated egg placed for 2.5 hours in setter room and back into storage room at 12-16 o C and 75-85% relative humidity according to the storage time. Egg storage for 7 days had better (P≤0.05) values for fertile egg, hatchability percentages, hatch window, embryonic mortality (early, mid and late), piped and chick quality. However, storage until 29 days showed the lowest significantly (P≤0.05) percent hatchability, hatchability for fertile egg, long incubation time, highest number of total embryonic morality and lowest number of chick quality. SPIDES (2.5 h) recorded higher hatchability traits, but SPIDES 5 hours showed the highest significantly (P≤0.05) number of early embryonic mortality and lowest number of chick quality. Accordingly, when egg stored for more than 7, 14, 21 and 29 days, it should be SPIDES-short period incubation 2.5 h every five days once, twice or fourth time during storage period to minimize the harmful impact of storage.

Weaning age is an important event that affects the growth and health of weaned animals which has many impacts on mortality and growth traits. An experiment was conducted to study genotype (G) and weaning age (WA) interaction (G×WA) effects on growth traits of the animals belonged to two lines of rabbit (APRI and V line) reared under Egyptian conditions. Multiparous rabbit does were serviced to obtain 225 litters with 1800 young rabbits at weaning. The weaning ages ranged from 26 to 43 days where the young rabbits were weaned at different ages (≥28d (WA 1 ); 28 < T ≥ 35d (WA 2 ); 35 < T ≥ 40d (WA 3 ) and 40