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Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Effect of inulin and mannan-oligosaccharides compared with zinc-bacitracin on growing performance, nutrient digestibility and hematological profiles of growing rabbits

Y. A. Attia A B E , R. S. Hamed C , A. E. Abd El-Hamid B , H. A. Shahba C and F. Bovera D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Arid Land Agriculture Department, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, PO Box 80208, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia.

B Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, El-Gommohria St, Damanhour 22516, Egypt.

C Animal Production Research Institute, ARC. Ministry of Agriculture and land reclamation, Nady Al-sid St, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

D Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, via F. Delpino, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy.

E Corresponding author. Email: yaattia@kau.edu.sa

Animal Production Science 55(1) 80-86 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN13286
Submitted: 8 July 2013  Accepted: 19 October 2013   Published: 16 December 2013

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of inulin and mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) vs zinc-bacitracin (ZnB) on rabbit growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood profiles. In total, 108 rabbits 32 days of age were divided into four homogeneous groups fed the same basal diet and submitted to the following dietary treatments: control group, without supplementation; inulin group, supplemented with inulin (0.25 g/rabbit.day); MOS group, supplemented with MOS (0.083 g/rabbit.day); and ZnB group, supplemented with ZnB (0.083 g/rabbit.day). The supplements were administered 2 days per week from 32 to 81 days of age. At 32, 56 and 81 days, the rabbits were weighed and feed intake was measured. Mortality was recorded daily. Nutrient digestibility was measured at 65 days by an ingesta–excreta balance. Samples of blood were collected at 53, 67 and 81 days of age. The control group showed the highest (P < 0.01) mortality rate throughout the trial (17.0%), followed by ZnB (8.18%), inulin (3.7%) and then the MOS group, which had the lowest mortality (1.6%; P < 0.01). Addition of MOS led to a more favourable (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio than addition of ZnB at 32–56 days of age and inulin for the entire trial period. The MOS group showed increased (P < 0.01) digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, ash and crude fibre relative to the control group. All supplements increased (P < 0.01) protein digestibility relative to the control. The level of alanine aminotransferase was reduced due to the use of feed supplements, and MOS supplementation gave the lowest (P < 0.01) value. Administration of prebiotics to growing rabbits as an alternative to ZnB can lead some advantages compared with both antibiotic and unsupplemented diets; MOS was more effective than inulin.

Additional keywords: blood profiles, growing rabbits, inulin, mannan-oligosaccharides, nutrient digestibility, zinc-bacitracin.


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