Improving productive performance, immunity, and health status of growing rabbits by using honey bee venom (Apis mellifera)

To investigate the effect of bee venom (BV) as a natural growth promotor on growing rabbits as an alternative to antibiotics, sixty 35-day-old Californian male rabbits with an average body weight of 584 ± 9 gm were randomly divided into five equal groups as follows: The 2nd group received drinking water supplied with 10 mg Oxytetracycline (OXT), while the 3rd, 4th, and 5th groups received 2, 4 and 8 mg bee venom (BV)/kg body weight/day in drinking water, and the first group was served as a control group. The growth performance features were positively impacted by adding BV (p ≤ 0.01) compared to the control, whereas LBW and BWG increased and FI reduced. Significantly improved carcass characteristics (p ≤ 0.01) as a result of the BV supplementation. Blood characteristics showed a significant reduction (p ≤ 0.01) in liver enzyme activities and Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Low-density lipoproteins Cholesterol (LDL) as affected by BV treatment; inversely, total protein and globulin were significantly increased (p ≤ 0.01). Similarly, BV had a positive effect (p ≤ 0.01) on anti-oxidant status (Total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)). In contrast, the lipid peroxidation biomarker (Malondialdehyde (MDA)) was significantly decreased. The immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM) was significantly increased (p ≤ 0.01) by BV treatment. There was a positive effect of low BV levels on decreasing both cecum TBC and pathogenic bacterial count (Salmonella spp., E.coli spp., Proteus spp., and Clostridia spp.) that was significant (p ≤ 0.01). In conclusion, BV can be a natural growth promoter to enhance growth performance traits, immunological and anti-oxidative responses, and reduce pathogenic bacteria in the hindgut of growing rabbits

Polyunsaturated fatty acids combined with equine chorionic gonadotropin to enhance reproductive performance in aged rabbit does

Sixty low-conception rate does aged 18 to 24 months (in four groups) were used to determine the effect of replacement of prostaglandin (PG) F2α (PGF2α) injection by oral administration with sunflower oil (Sun) (rich in omega 6) or linseed oil (Lin) (rich in omega 3) on reproductive and productive performance. Group 1 was injected with 20 U of equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), 54 h before artificial insemination (AI) and used as reference group. Group 2 was injected with 20 U of eCG+0.5 mg of PGF2α, 54 h before AI. Group 3 was orally given 3 mL of Sun/doe/day, for seven consecutive days before AI+20 U of eCG, 54 h before AI. Group 4 was treated like Group 3 except that the oil was Lin. Aged does treated with eCG+Sun had elevated blood 17-β estradiol concentration (P≤0.01) accompanied with a decrease of progesterone concentrations compared to the other experimental groups. Contrarily, no significant differences were found between eCG+Lin and eCG+PGF2α treatments on the previous two hormones. Likewise, aged does treated with eCG+Sun and eCG+Lin were statistically similar to those injected with ECG+synthetic PGF2α on blood prostaglandin profile, but still significantly higher than the control group. Treatment with eCG+Sun increased the percentage of fertile does (P≤0.01) and the litter size at birth compared to the other experimental groups. In conclusion, replacement of the PGF2α injection by oral administration of Sun or Lin to aged does improved sexual hormone synthesis and secretion, litter size and bunny body weight at birth

Flaxseed and Agnus-castuson vitex as a source of phytoestrogens and their impact on productive performance, some blood constituents, and blood oestradiol profile of aged laying hens

To investigate the effect of Flaxseeds (Flax) or vitex Agnus-castuson (Vitex), a total of 180 aged hens (58 weeks of age) were divided into 5 treatment groups with 36 each as followe: groups 2 and 3 were fed the basal diet supplemented with 1 or 2 g Flax/kg, respectively. And group 4 and 5 were fed the basal diet supplemented with a 2.5 or 5 g Vitex/kg, respectively. While group 1 was served as a control group. The experiment period was lasted for two months. Flax or Vitex in hens’ rations resulted in a significant (p ≤ .001) increase in EP and EM percentages compared to the control group, as well, EW was increased significantly with the high level of Vitex only. Although, Flax or vitex did not affect daily FI, a FCR values showed a significant improvement. The high level of both Flax and Vitex boosted (p ≤ .001) the egg-shell weight than the control group. Flax or Vitex treatment resulted in a slightly decline egg albumin weight (%),while, the egg yolk weight was increased significantly(p ≤ .001). There were a significant reduction (p ≤ .001) in blood total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentrations in Flax or Vitex groups, Contrariwise, HDL cholesterol was a significantly increased (p ≤ .001). Blood total antioxidant capacity concentration was a significant increase (p ≤ .001) of Flax and Vitex groups than the control. Adding Flax or Vitex to hens ration boosted blood oestradiol-17β hormone secretion (p ≤ .001) than the control group.Highlights Egyptian chicken breeds are characterised by lower egg production rates compared to commercial breeds, and they reach the end of the egg production curve early. So, our aim was to use some plant materials as a phytoestrogens source to improve the reproductive and productive performance of these strains and prolong the period of egg production for them

Dietary exogenous phytase improve egg quality, reproductive hormones, and prolongs the lifetime of the aging Hy-Line brown laying hens fed nonphytate phosphorus

ABSTRACT: The study examined how adding phytase to nonphytate phosphorus (NPP) diets affected performance, egg quality, reproductive hormones, and plasma biochemical indices in 73- to 80-wk-old laying hens. Six treatments with 5 replicates of 18 Hy-Line brown laying hens each were randomly assigned. Three isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets containing consistent calcium levels (3.8%) were formulated to contain 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30% NPP, treated with or without phytase supplementation (1,000 FYT per kg feed, Ronozyme HiPhos-L, Aspergillus oryzae 6-phytase). The results showed that the addition of phytase to the diet containing 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30% NPP increased egg production by 1.50, 1.64, and 0.97%, respectively, and improved eggshell thickness. Also, use of phytase in the diet contain 0.25, and 0.30% NPP increased the plasma concentration of albumin (ALB), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), phosphorus (P), and plasma follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), plasma calcium (Ca), estradiol‐17β (E2β), and luteinizing hormone (LH). In contrast, the egg weight, feed intake, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk, and shell color were unaffected. It can be advisable to use phytase supplementation in an elderly laying hen's diet contain 0.25, and 0.30% NPP to improve shell quality and positively impact reproductive hormones leading to the persistence of egg production