REPRODUCTIVE EFFICIENCY, BLOOD METABOLITES, AND PRODUCTIVITY OF HI-PLUS DOE RABBITS FED VARIOUS BIOLOGICAL PROBIOTIC ADDITIVES UNDER NORTH SINAI CONDITIONS IN EGYPT

This investigation aims to study the effect of probiotics ZAD®, ZADO® and YEAST® supplementation on blood parameters, immunological responses, and reproductive and productive performance of Hi-Plus doe rabbits under North Sinai conditions. Sixty Hi-Plus doe rabbits, aged 5 months and body weight 3190.2±30.7 g, were used in this study from May to September 2022. Does were randomly divided into four similar treatments. The 1st treatment (Tr1) was served as a control without supplementation. Does received 10 g of ZAD® / kg basal diet (1.0 %) in the 2nd treatment (Tr2), 10 ml of ZADO® /kg basal diet (1.0 %) in the 3rd treatment (Tr3), and 10 g of YEAST/ kg basal diet (1.0 %) in the 4th treatment (Tr4) during the experimental period. The obtained results demonstrated that applying biological additives increased (P<0.05) glucose, total protein, globulin, triiodothyronine (T3), immunoglobulin (IgA), and total antioxidant levels, while decreased (P<0.05) total cholesterol and triglycerides in blood plasma of the treated doe rabbits. Progesterone (P4) significantly increased in the treated groups compared to control doe rabbits. Indeed, immunoglobulin levels of IgG and IgM were increased (P<0.05) only in the doe rabbits of Tr4 compared with doe rabbits in Tr1. Conception rate, milk yield, litter size and weight at birth and weaning as well as productive efficiency index was higher (P<0.05) in the treated doe rabbits than in control ones. Feed conversion value was improved (P<0.05) in the treated doe rabbits compared with control group. Activity of plasma transaminase (ALT) decreased (P<0.05) only in the doe rabbits of Tr2 and Tr4 compared to doe rabbits in Tr1. In conclusion, under heat stress conditions, dietary supplementation of biological probiotics (ZAD®, ZADO® and YEAST®) at a level of 1% could enhance the reproductive and productive performance, increase milk yield, reduce pre-weaning mortality, improve blood constituents and immunological status of doe Hi-Plus rabbits. Supplementation of 10 g YEAST /kg diet showed the best impacts as compared to other supplements.