Nutritive effects and physiological responses of rabbits supplemented with camel’s foot (Piliostigma thonningii) essential oil based diet

This study investigated the effect of Piliostigma thonningii essential oil (PEO) on the nutrient and feed intake, serum biochemistry and immune/oxidative stress responses of rabbits. The young male rabbits were randomly divid- ed into three treatment groups, with 15 rabbits per group, and balanced for their body weight such that the rabbits in each group had a similar average initial body weight (BW) of 262.89±22.36 g in a completely randomized design. Treatment 1 was a basal control diet. In treatments 2 and 3, the basal control diet was supplemented with 2 ml PEO/kg diet and 4 ml PEO/kg diet, respectively. Intake of nutrients, final BW, immunoglobulin A and M increased (P<0.05) with an increasing level of PEO supplementation. Serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, high density lipo- protein, immunoglobulin G, triiodothyroxine, total anti-oxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione perioxidase and glutathione reductase were higher (P<0.05) in T2 and T3 than in T1. Serum cholesterol, triglyceride, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, low density lipoprotein, malondialdehyde and cortisol were higher (P<0.05) in T1 than in T2 and T3. Serum creatinine, uric acid, total and direct bilirubin were not affected (P>0.05) by treatments. It was concluded that PEO supplementation reduced oxidative stress indices and improved feed utilization, and the immune and general health status of the experimental rabbits. However, 4 ml PEO/ kg diet was the optimum supplementation level, as it was more effective in enhancing the nutritional, physiological and general wellbeing of the rabbits.