Effects of Dietary Biological or Chemical-Synthesized Nano-Selenium Supplementation on Growing Rabbits Exposed to Thermal Stress

Abstract

The adverse influences of elevated ambient temperatures during the summer season on the rabbit industry have received increased global attention. Therefore, this study intended to compare the potential effects of nano-selenium (nano-Se) synthesized by biological (BIO) and chemical (CH) methods on growth performance, carcass variables, serum metabolites, and inflammatory cytokines responses of growing rabbits in the summer season. Two hundred and fifty weaned rabbits (males, 35 days of age) were randomly divided into five treatment groups of 50 rabbits each (each group had five replicates with ten male rabbits). Treatment groups were fed a control diet and four controlled diets supplemented with nano-Se synthesized by biological method (BIO25 and BIO50, with a 25 and 50 mg of nano-Se/kg diet, respectively) and chemical method (CH25 and CH50, with a 25 and 50 mg of nano-Se/kg diet, respectively) for eight weeks. During 11 to 13 weeks of age, a gradual enhancement in live body weight (LBW), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was noticed with BIO25 and BIO50 treatments compared to those in the other groups. The carcass percentage was significantly higher (p < 0.01) for animals fed with BIO25 than the other groups. The other organ functions were significantly higher (p < 0.01) in heat-stressed groups compared to that of nano-Se groups. Increasing the level of only BIO from a 25 to a 50 mg/kg diet gave more improvement in the studied parameters. Additionally, the concentrations of serum urea, triglycerides (TG), and glutamyl transferase (GGT) were lower (p < 0.01) in both treated and untreated groups. Likewise, the supplementation with nano-Se (BIO25, BIO50, or CH25) significantly improved the antioxidant indices and inflammatory cytokines responses as indicated from serum metabolites. Based on the study results, nano-Se especially synthesized by the biological method at diet levels of 25 or 50 mg/kg improved the growth performance, kidney and liver functions, carcass traits, antioxidants indices, and inflammatory cytokines of growing rabbits during thermal stress.

Productive and Physiological Response of Male Rabbits to Dietary Supplementation with Thyme Essential Oil

“…Thymol stimulates the appetite, and the secretion of endogenous digestive enzymes and nutrient absorption mainly because thymol could protect the microvilli [ 28 ]. Supplementation of TEO with olive oil enhanced the growth performance of male Californian rabbits under high-temperature environments [ 1 ]. Similarly, oral administration of aqueous thyme extract with 50 mg/kg BW improved ( P < 0.001) BWG, FI, and FCR of rabbits compared to the control [ 29 ].…”

“…Recently, the rabbit industry has played a major role in meeting the increasing requirements of animal protein for human consumption and is becoming an important source of the national economies in Egypt [ 1 , 2 ]. Rabbit meat is characterized by a high protein and low fat and cholesterol content [ 1 ]. These nutritional qualities are of great value to the meat industry and consumers.…”

“…However, other studies have not observed any effect of the dietary inclusion of thyme on growth development [ 9 ] or the carcass of young rabbits [ 10 ]. The main components of TEO are thymol, carvacrol, γ-terpinene, p-cymene, β-myrcene, linalool, and terpinen-4-ol [ 1 , 11 ]. These active components had the best oxidative status [ 12 ] and may reduce serum cholesterol [ 13 ], which could improve the reproductive performance of rabbits.…”

Impacts of Green Coffee Powder Supplementation on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Blood Indices, Meat Quality and Gut Microbial Load in Broilers

“…Serial dilutions up to 10 7 were prepared. Enterococcus spp., coliforms and total bacteria were counted according to Sheiha et al [39] and Reda et al [40]. Total coliforms were counted according to Richard et al [41] by MacConkey agar medium.…”

Effects of dietary phytogenic supplementation on performance, semen quality and serum biochemical of rabbits

“…Recently, rabbits industry becomes an important role to meet the high requirements of animal protein for human consumption and a source of the national economies in Egypt [ 1,2]. Rabbit meat is characterized by a high protein and low fat and cholesterol content [ 3], these nutritional meat qualities are of great value for the meat industry and consumers.…”