Effect of various levels of dietary Jatropha curcas seed meal on rabbits infested by the adult ticks of Hyalomma marginatum marginatum I. Animal performance, anti-tick feeding and haemogram

Abstract

The goal of this study was to investigate the use of Jatropha curcas seed meal (JCSM) in different levels as acaricide in diet of rabbits experimentally infested by Hyalomma marginatum marginatum then determining animal performance, anti-tick feeding and its effects on haemogram of rabbits. Thirty healthy mixed-breed rabbits were randomly divided into five equal groups. The first group was kept as a control fed soya bean meal (20%) as a source of protein. Groups from the second to the fifth fed diets contained 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% of JCSM instead of soya bean meal as a source of protein, respectively. Feeding and watering were given freely throughout the study. Animal performance for treatment groups were recorded from the 1st week up to the 6th week. Then each group divided into two subgroups, and the ticks were introduced to all of one subgroup and the other kept as control, following them until dropped at the end of the 8th week for all groups of the experiment. Feeding and reproductive performance of the adult tick females were determined. Blood samples were collected and analysed for haematological examination at the 0, 6th and 8th weeks post-treatment from all animals. Result revealed that rabbits received diets containing 5%, 7.5% and 10% had significantly (P < 0.05) lower growth performance than control and 2.5% JCSM groups. Feed intake and body weight gain decreased with increasing the level of JCSM in the diet. The result of anti-tick feeding observed that the highest percentage (60-90%) of rejection was recorded in 10% of JCSM group then the other treated groups (20-30%). Egg mass and reproductive index per female were marked increase (P < 0.001) in groups 2.5%, 5% and 7.5% of JCSM. Macrocytic normochromic anaemia was development after 8 weeks of treatment, which changed to microcytic normochromic anaemia after challenge of ticks in groups received 5%, 7.5% and 10% JCSM. Leukopenia, neutopenia and lymphopenia were noticed (P < 0.05) in all treated groups which more drop in the group received 7.5% JCSM. Also, monocytosis was recorded in 7.5% and 10% JCSM groups. In conclusion, JCSM could be use in the treatment of ectoparasites at level less than 10% in diet. Further investigations should be done to detoxification the Jatropha seed meal to decrease the level of its toxicity.

Effect of Feeding of Moringa oleifera Seed Meal as a New Protein Source on Performance, Digestibility and Blood Constituents of Male Goats Under Desert Conditions

“…But TDM and DCP in G3 markedly increased than in G2. The increasing intakes of TDN and DCP for both G2 fed R2 and G3 fed R3 may be due to increasing in all nutrients digestibility as CP, amino acids, vitamins and minerals (Abd El-Rahman, 2008;Abdel-Shafy et al, 2011;Abd El-Rahman et al, 2011).…”

Partial substitution of cumin seed meal by Jatropha meal as a potential protein source for feed

“…The seed cake can be a protein source for livestock after inactivation of trypsin inhibitors and lectins by heat treatment or defatted for the removal of the phorbol esters. Through laboratory analysis, J. curcas seed meal free of shells has been found to have high nutritive value comparable to that of soybean meal because it is rich in protein (27 to 33%) (Makkar et al, 1998;Abou-Arab and Abu-Salem, 2010;Abdel-Shafy et al, 2011). Nasr et al (2011) indicated that the administering of Jatropha seed meal (JSM) at 2.5% normal diet was not toxic in rabbits, while 5 or 7.5% JSM exhibited slight adverse sero-biochemical and histopathological alteration; although 10% JSM exhibited some sero-biochemical and histopathological alteration in liver and kidney functions.…”

Benefits and Challenges of Jatropha Meal as Novel Biofeed for Animal Production

“…Besides, Lihua et al [ 12 ] showed that the leaf extract of the Jatropha curcas plant possesses an in vitro antibiotic effect on chicken pathogens, such as Escherichia coli . Moreover, a recent study has shown the anti-tick activity of Jatropha meal in rabbits [ 13 , 14 ].…”