Effects of Administering Maca (Lepidium meyenii) to Growing Male Rabbits on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Some Blood Parameters and Antioxidant Status Under Heat Stress Conditions

This study aimed to assess the impact of orally administered maca (Lepidium meyenii) as water extract on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and some blood parameters in male White New Zealand weaned rabbits during heat stress conditions. A total of forty-eight male weaned rabbits, aged five weeks, were used in this study from five to thirteen weeks of age and were divided into three groups, each comprising 16 rabbits distributed across four replicates (4 rabbits per replicate). The first group (M0) was used as a control group, whereas the second (M1) and third (M2) groups received oral administration of 50 and 100mg of maca solution/rabbit/day at 9 AM, respectively. Findings indicated that final body weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P≤0.05) improved for rabbits that received maca. Moreover, rabbits in maca groups had the best (P≤0.05) dressed carcass, liver, intestine, and testes. Abdominal fat% was significantly (P≤0.05) decreased by using maca. Serum total protein, albumin, and globulin levels were not significantly affected by maca. Antioxidant status, IgG, and IgM were enhanced (P≤0.05) by using maca. Additionally, maca at different levels significantly (P≤0.05) reduced serum glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides. From these results, we can conclude that oral administration of 50 and 100 mg maca solution/rabbit/day enhanced rabbits' growth performance, feed efficiency, carcass yield, and antioxidant status under heat stress conditions. These advantages might be obtained at the lowest tested dosage of 50 mg/rabbit/day.