EVALUATION OF GROWTH PERFORMANCE, HAEMATOLOGY AND SERUM BIOCHEMICALS PROFILE OF RABBIT DOE FED ORALLY GRADED LEVEL OF BETAINE WITH DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS DURING DRY SEASON

ABSTRACT Twenty rabbits’ does of New Zealand white with average initial weight 744g to 746g were randomly distributed into four experimental treatment groups (5 per each). Each group was replicated five times with one rabbit doe per replicate. Treatment 1 fed the basal diet as control (T1), 0 ml of betaine. While, Treatment 2 (T2, basal diet+0.2 ml of betaine per 50 ml of water), Treatment 3 (T3, basal diet+0.4 ml of betaine per 50 ml of water), Treatment 4 (T4, basal diet+0.6 ml of betaine per 50 ml of water) and Treatment 5 (T5, basal diet+0.8 ml of betaine per 50 ml of water). 10 ml of each treatment was administered orally to each rabbit in the treatment every day using a 10 ml syringe. Results showed significant (P≤0.05) increases in final body weight and average daily weight gain were significantly (P≤0.05) improving in PER in all treated groups compared with the control (T1). T3 had similar Initial body weight with T1 (control) with T4 having the highest IBWT (746g). Highest value for ADFI was recorded for T2 (115.49g) and T4 had the lowest value at 111.69g. PER significantly (P≤0.05) increases across the treatment groups but T3 had the highest value (0.83). In a similar pattern, HC, PCV, RBC and WBC showed a significant difference (P≤0.05) while T1 (control) had the lowest value (5.30g/dl) for total protein (TP). Conclusively, using feed supplemented with betaine for growing rabbit at 0.6ml could be recommended for realizing best results of growth performance, haematology and serum biochemical profile and economic efficiency during dry season.