EFFECT OF PROPOLIS SUPPLEMENTATION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, NUTRIENTS DIGESTIBILITY, CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND MEAT QUALITY OF GROWING NEW ZEALAND RABBITS

Waly, Amany H.; Abo El-Azayem, Enayat H.; Younan, G. E.; Zedan, Afaf H.; El- Komy, H. M. A.; Mohamed, Rehab A.

doi:10.21608/ejnf.2021.210779

EFFECT OF PROPOLIS SUPPLEMENTATION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, NUTRIENTS DIGESTIBILITY, CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND MEAT QUALITY OF GROWING NEW ZEALAND RABBITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Animal Production Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

10.21608/ejnf.2021.210779

Abstract

This study aim to evaluate the effect of crude Egyptian propolis supplementation to growing New Zeland white rabbits diets on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, carcass characteristics and meat quality. A total of 180 unsexed weaned rabbits at six weeks of age were randomly distributed into four groups. The groups were fed diet supplemented with 0, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg crude propolis.The experimental period extended for eight weeks. The results showed that supplemented propolis to growing rabbit diets significantly (P<0.01) increased final live body weight and body weight gains, and significantly (P<0.05) improved feed conversion ratio, while total feed intake decreased insignificantly compared with control group. There were no significant differences in DM, CF, EE and NFE digestibility coefficients. While, the digestibility coefficients of OM and CP, and the nutritive values DCP and TDN were significantly increased. Supplementing rabbit diets with propolis also significantly (P<0.01) improved carcass, dressing and total edible parts percentages, whereas heart, kidney, liver and giblets were not affected. Propolis supplementation significantly (P<0.01) decreased abdominal fat percentages and insignificantly decreased shoulder fat percentages. The inclusion of propolis in diet significantly increased the spleen percentages (p < 0.01) and impiety small intestine percentages (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences for total protein and pHu in meat between all treatment groups. Increasing propolis level in the diet significantly decreased total cholesterol, triglycerides and malondialdehyde. The addition of propolis in the rabbit diet positively influenced the physical properties of rabbit meat by significantly decreasing (P<0.01) its drip and cook loss percentages. It can be concluded that propolis addition in growing New Zeland rabbit diets improved productive performance, some nutrient digestibility, some carcass characteristics and meat quality.

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