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Asian Journal of Poultry Science

Year: 2012 | Volume: 6 | Issue: 1 | Page No.: 23-30
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Authors

Selim Nessrin

A.M. Abdel-Khalek

Sawsan M. Gad

Keywords

Research Article

Effect of Supplemental Zinc, Magnesium or Iron on Performance and Some Physiological Traits of Growing Rabbits

Selim Nessrin, A.M. Abdel-Khalek and Sawsan M. Gad
The objective of this study was to investigate response of growing rabbits to added levels of zinc, magnesium or iron. Three growth experiments were carried out using 150 NZW rabbits of 5 weeks old to study the effect of different supplemental levels of zinc, magnesium or iron on growth performance and some carcass traits. Concentrations of these elements in blood plasma, urine and/or hair or bone were measured. In each experiment, 50 rabbits were allocated individually up to the 13th week of age to one of five experimental groups. In the 1st experiment five levels of zinc (as zinc oxide) being 0, 50, 100, 200 or 400 Zn mg kg-1 diet were examined. In the 2nd experiment Mg (as magnesium oxide) was used by levels of 0, 400, 600, 800 or 1000 Mg mg kg-1 diet. Iron (as ferrous sulphate) was used in to provide levels of 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100 Fe mg kg-1 diet in the 3rd experiment. The results showed that supplementing Zn by levels of 100 or 200 mg kg-1 diet significantly (p<0.05) improved live weight gain and feed conversion ratio compared to the higher level of 400 mg kg-1 diet. Dietary Zn level had no significant effect upon feed intake, carcass traits or Zn concentration in plasma, hair or urine. Supplementing 400 up to 1000 Mg mg kg-1 diet significantly (p<0.05) improved feed conversion ratio of the diet and enhanced (p>0.05) live weight gain of the rabbits. It did significantly (p<0.05) affect feed intake and liver weight (% of body weight). Mg supplementation showed no significant effect on kidney weight and concentrations of Mg in plasma, bone or urine. Supplementing Fe had no further effect on rabbit studied criteria, except for the plasma total iron binding capacity that significantly decreased with supplementing 75 Fe mg kg-1 diet compared with the other treatments. It could be conclude that growing rabbit is tolerable to excessive dietary doses of the Zn, Mg or Fe. Also, it is quite clear that the growing rabbit responded positively to 100 mg supplemental Zn kg-1 diet, in terms of significant improvement in live body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Also, a supplemental Mg in the rate of 400 mg kg-1 diet tended to improve live body weight gain and significantly improved feed conversion ratio of the rabbit. While, supplementing Fe above the recommended level (25 mg kg-1 diet) had no added value for growing rabbits.
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