Productive and Reproductive Performance of Doe Rabbits Fed Diets Supplemented with Spirulina, Yeast, and Bacillus subtilis as Natural Additives

This study was designed to investigate the effects of dietary adding Spirulina platensis (SP), live yeast (LY), and Bacillus subtilis (BS) on nutrient digestion, and the productive and reproductive performances of doe rabbits. Forty healthy doe rabbits aged nine months and weighing 3223±5 g were used for a 75 - day experimental period and split into four similar experimental groups according to their live body weight. Rabbits were fed a pelleted diet free from probiotics (control group, T1), while T2, T3, and T4 groups received the same diet supplemented with 1 g SP/doe/day, 1 g LY/doe/day, and 0.5 g BS/doe/day, respectively. Results showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in milk yield in T4 but didn’t influence feed intake or live body weight of rabbits. All nutrient digestibility coefficients were the highest in T2. Most productive and reproductive performances of does had significantly enhanced in probiotic groups. Supplementation with probiotics significantly increased serum total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations, while serum urea and creatinine concentrations appeared to be significantly (p < 0.05) lower. Generally, the results obtained revealed that using SP, LY, and BS as feed additives in rations of doe rabbits, have positive effects on the productive and reproductive performance traits and economic feed efficiency. These supplements could be used as natural feed additives to improve the health status as well as the productive and reproductive performances of doe rabbits.