Bioavailability of Organic Minerals (Bioblex) in Rabbits Fed Excess Levels of Dietary Minerals and Effects on Reproductive Performance, Under Egyptian Conditions.

Abstract

Eighty primiparous Bauscat doe rabbits, aged 10-11 months with an average initial body weight, 3886.84 ± 64.79 g and 24 fertile Buck rabbis aged 6-7 months with an average initial body weight3123.75±119.28g were divided randomly into four comparable groups. The 1 st group was used as control contained a common trace mineral supplement (Fe, Zn, Cu. Mn and Co) in Vitamin and Mineral primed and 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th groups contained Bioplex trace minerals products (Bioplex TM ) at 25 %, 50% and 100% of the common trace mineral supplemented levels, respectively. Number of services per conception, litter size, litter weight (g), bunny weight (g) at birth, 21 and 28 days were recorded. Semen quality of bucks was determined including ejaculate volume (ml), wave motion (scores), sperm motility (%), sperm concentration (x 10 6 /ml), dead and abnormal spermatozoa (%) .Litter weight at 21 days, 28 days of age, mean bunny weight at birth and at 21 days and litter weight gain from birth up to 28 days were significantly higher (P <0.05) with supplemented group at level of 50% of Bioplex TM than the treated groups with 25 % and 100% of Bioplex TM and untreated does (control). However, number of services per conception, gestation length, litter size at birth, 21 and at weaning (28 days) and litter weight at birth, mean bunny weight at 28 days, litter weight gain from 21 to 28 days and pre-weaning mortality rate were insignificantly affected by supplementation of Bioplex TM .Most of doe and offspring traits were not affected significantly by the number of parity of Bouscat doe rabbits. However, mean bunny weight at birth and litter weight gain from 21 to 28 days were significantly (P < 0.05). Pre-weaning mortality percentage from birth to 28 days were lower significantly (P< 0.05) in the 1 st parity than in the 2 nd ones.Level of blood serum total protein, urea-N, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly (P< 0.01 or P< 0.05) higher in doe rabbis supplemented with Bioplex TM . However, level of blood serum total lipids, and cholesterol were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in rabbits treated with 50% and 100% Bioplex TM as compared to those of treated with 25% Bioplex TM or those of the control group. Levels of blood serum creatinine, serum blood minerals (Ca, P, K, Na, Ca/P and Na/K)and serum blood hormones (progesterone and prolactin) were not affected significantly by supplemental levels of Bioplex TM . Supplementation of Bioplex TM significantly (P< 0.01 or P< 0.050 improved semen quality of buck rabbits. The buck rabbits received the additional level of 100 % Bioplex TM showed the best physical semen characteristics as compared to buck rabbits received the additional level of 25 % and 50 % of Bioplex TM and AST was the highest one, while, cholesterol and ALT were (P<0.05 or P .01) the lowest one. However, levels of blood serum AST significantly (P< 0.05) higher in the buck rabbits fed diets supplemented with the level of 100% of Bioplex TM than the other groups.