Improving the Util
Improving the Utilization
of Rabbit Diets Containing Vegetable Oil by Using Fennel (Foeniculum
vulgare)And Oregano (Origanum vulgare L) as Feed Additives
H.A.A. Omer1,
Y.A.A. EL-Nomeary1, R.I. EL-Kady1, Azza M.M. Badr2,
F.A.F. Ali1, Sawsan M. Ahmed1, H.M.H. EL-Allawy1 and
Sh. A.M. Ibrahim1
1Animal Production Department, National Research
Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
2Regional Center for food and feed, Agriculture
Research Center, Giza, Egypt.
Abstract: Forty
five male New Zealand White rabbits aged 5 weeks with an average body weight
574±2.32 g were divided randomly into five equal experimental groups (9 animals
in each) and used in a feeding trial lasted 56 days to investigate the response
of rabbits to diets diet containing fat with or without herbal mixture
formulation consisting of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seeds or
oregano leaves (Origanum vulgare L.) and mixture of them on growth
performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, blood
constituents and economical evaluation of growing rabbits. The experimental
groups were classified to: group 1 fed the basal diet and served as control
group (R1); group 2 fed the basal diet + 2% sunflower oil (R2);
group 3 fed the basal diet + 2% sunflower oil + 1% Fennel seeds (R3);
group 4 fed the basal diet + 2% sunflower oil + 1% Oregano leaves (R4)
and group 5 fed the basal diet + 2% sunflower oil + 0.5% Fennel seeds + 0.5%
Oregano leaves (R5). The results showed that, tested rations were
isonitrogenous but not isocaloric. Dietary treatments had no significant effect
on feed intake, CP and EE digestibilities. While DM, OM and CF digestibilities
were significantly (P<0.05) improved. Rabbits received R5 diet
recorded the highest value of OM, CF, EE digestibilities and TDN value. On the
other hand, dietary treatments improved both TDN and DCP values. Dietary
treatments significantly (P<0.05) improved final weight, body weight gain
and average daily gain. Final weight was improved by 3.45, 12.37, 9.71 and
13.38% for R2, R3, R4 and R5,
respectively, compared to the control R1; while both body weight
gain and average daily gain were improved by 4.37, 16.37, 12.46 and 17.48% for
the same experimental groups compared to control. Adding medicinal plants
(fennel seeds or oreganoleaves) to rabbit diets significantly (P<0.05)
improved feed conversion ratio. Rabbit fed on R5 diet recorded
the best feed conversion ratio. Dietary treatments significantly decreased
(P<0.05) only EBW (R3), total cholesterol (R3, R4 and
R5) and LDL (R5). Rabbits received R5 diet
recorded the best total cost, total revenue, net revenue,economical efficiency, relative
economic efficiency and feed cost / kg LBW. It can be concluded that
adding 0.5% fennel seeds with 0.5% oregano leaves as
feed additives to rabbit diets contained 2% oil improved daily gain; both
nutrient digestibility coefficients and nutritive values as well as
realized the highest value of relative economic efficiency and lowered value of
feed cost/ kg live body weight.
H.A.A. Omer, Y.A.A. EL-Nomeary, R.I. EL-Kady, Azza M.M. Badr, F.A.F. Ali, Sawsan M. Ahmed, H.M.H. EL-Allawy and Sh. A.M. Ibrahim. Improving the Utilization of Rabbit Diets Containing Vegetable Oil by UsingFennel (Foeniculum vulgare) And Oregano (Origanum vulgare L) as Feed Additives. Life Sci J2013;10(1):2625-2636] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com.
Keywords: medicinal plants, fennel seeds, oregano leaves, rabbits, growth performance, digestibility, carcass characteristics, blood constituents, economic evaluation.
