Effect of dietary phenylpropanoid glycoside-based natural extracts on blood parameters and productive performance in intensively-reared young hares

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Two different doses of a dietary verbascoside-based supplement were evaluated on various blood parameters and on productive performance in young weaned hares reared intensively from 28 to 90 days of age. The study lasted for 62 days and it was conducted on 210 young hares divided into three homogeneous groups of 70 animals each, consisting of a control group and two experimental groups. Each group received the dietary supplement in the feed, titrated to 0.5% verbascoside, 1 kg/t of concentrate (LVB group) and 2 kg/t of concentrate (HVB group). The experimental reliefs included the measurement of blood parameters such as triglycerides, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and bilirubin, along with some markers of oxidative status in plasma such as reactive oxygen metabolites, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and vitamins A and E. Various productive parameters were also measured such as body weight and growth rate, food consumption, and feed conversion. The experimental treatment resulted in a significant decrease in triglycerides (P < 0.01) and bilirubin (P < 0.05) and an increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.01) both in the low verbascoside (LVB) and high verbascoside (HVB) experimental groups. In addition, the oxidative plasma stability in blood also improved, with a significant decrease in the concentration of reactive oxygen metabolites (P < 0.01) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (P < 0.01), along with increased levels of vitamin E (P < 0.05). The productive performance was not statistically influenced by the experimental treatment, except for the growth rate which increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the experimental LVB and HVB groups: 6.9% and 8.7% respectively compared with the control group.

Rabbit metabolic response and selected meat quality traits: Evaluation of dietary PLX®23 and LycoBeads®feed supplement

“…The results on blood lipid profile, observed in rabbits fed with PLX ® 23 and LycoBeads ® , are in agreement with what was highlighted in previous researches, about rabbits Casamassima, Palazzo, Vizzarri, Costagliola, et al, 2013), ovine (Casamassima et al, 2012;Casamassima, Palazzo, D'Alessandro, et al, 2013) and hare (Casamassima, Palazzo, Vizzarri, Cinone, & Corino, 2013;Palazzo et al, 2011) (Fuhrman et al, 1997) and the activity of up-regulation in macrophage LDL receptor (Arab & Steck, 2000), as well as to its high power to neutralize free radicals.…”

“…The results on blood lipid profile, observed in rabbits fed with PLX ® 23 and LycoBeads ® , are in agreement with what was highlighted in previous researches, about rabbits (Casamassima et al, ; Casamassima, Palazzo, Vizzarri, Costagliola, et al, ), ovine (Casamassima et al, ; Casamassima, Palazzo, D’Alessandro, et al, ) and hare (Casamassima, Palazzo, Vizzarri, Cinone, & Corino, ; Palazzo et al, ) fed‐supplemented with VB. Even Lorenz et al (), feeding rabbits with a high‐cholesterol diet, and daily supplementing for 4 weeks 5 mg of lycopene per kg of live weight, observed a reduction of about 50% of the blood concentration of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, when compared to the placebo group and the high‐fat diet group.…”

“…The decrease in transaminases, total bilirubin and creatinine detected in three experimental groups might be due to a general improvement of liver and kidney function and an anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant action exerted by PLX ® 23 and LycoBeads ® considered both when used individually and in the mixed group. An improvement of these blood parameters was also highlighted in our previous research in lactating Lacaune ewes (Casamassima et al, ) and in rabbit with a dietary supplementation based on Lippia citriodora (Casamassima, Palazzo, Vizzarri, Cinone, et al, ; Palazzo et al, ).…”

“…in rabbit with a dietary supplementation based on Lippia citriodora (Casamassima, Palazzo, Vizzarri, Cinone, et al, 2013;Palazzo et al, 2011).…”

Effect of dietary plant extract on meat quality and sensory parameters of meat from Equidae

“…In the Verbenaceae family, verbascoside (VB) is the most abundant phenolic compound, with higher antioxidant activity compared to the other substances . Several studies in farm animals, reported the in vivo antioxidant properties of VB . Recent studies reported an improvement of meat quality parameters of broiler and pig fed plant extract, containing verbascoside …”