EFFECT OF BENZOIC ACID ADDITION TO DIET ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING RABBITS

A total of 40 males of New Zealand White rabbits (NZW) at six weeks of age were randomly divided into five treatment groups, eight individuals each. The first group was fed the basal diet and served as a control, while the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4th groups were fed the basal diet with the addition of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 % benzoic acid (BA) while the 5^th group was fed the basal diet wit basal diet with 150 ppm zinc bacitracin (ZB). The experiment duration was six weeks (6 to 12 weeks of age). Results showed that both BA addition and ZB had no significant effect on live body weight and daily feed intake, while daily weight gain was significantly increased in rabbits fed 1.0 % BA and ZB diets than the other groups with the lowest daily gain being recorded for the control group of rabbits. Feed conversion ratio was significantly better for rabbit groups fed the ZB diet than the other groups during 8 - 10 and 6 - 12 weeks of age compared to the control group. Total edible parts (%) was significantly higher in rabbits fed ZB (T5), BA (T3) and control (T1) – diets compared with rabbits that fed BA (T2 and T4) diets. Compared to rabbits of the control, all feed supplement levels had significant effects on plasma total protein, AST and ALT activity without any apparent effects on the other parameters. MDA level, as a good indicator of oxidative status, was insignificantly decreased by BA inclusion to diet which implies that the BA did not produce any oxidative stress on rabbits. It is concluded that benzoic acid supplementation to rabbits diet up to 1.0% level could be used to enhance the productive performance of growing rabbits without negative impacts on their physiological status.