USING DRIED CHICORY (CICHORIUM INTYBUS L.) LEAVES HERBAL ADDITIVE IN RABBIT DIETS

This experiment was carried out to study the effect of some feed additives (dried chicory leaves) on growth performance of black Balady rabbits, nutrients digestibilities, feeding values, carcass traits, some blood constituents, and caecal activity. A total number of 48 weaned rabbits aged 6 weeks, with average body weight 740 g were used in this study. The experimental animals were individually housed and divided randomly into four similar groups (12 each) using complete randomized block design. Four experimental dietary treatments were designed by using the basal ration with the addition dried chicory leaves at 0.00, 0.25, 0.75 or 1.25g / rabbits for control (T0) and tested rations T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Results showed that, rabbits in T2 showed significantly (P<0.05) the highest live body weight (LBW) and total gain followed by T3 and T1, while the lowest values were associated with (control) one at 10-14 weeks of age. Also the significant highest feed intake value was associated with the tested diet T2 in comparison with that of control and the other tested rations. Feed conversion and performance index were marked improved by the tested rations in comparison with control, however the differences among them did not significant. Also, digestion coefficients and feeding values were significantly the highest with T2 in comparison with the control one, but mostly the nutrients digestibilities and feeding values of the other tested rations were insignificant higher than those of control one. Almostly, carcass traits were significant (P<0.05) higher with all tested rations than those of control one. Rabbits in T2 showed significantly the highest (P<0.05) concentrations of total protein and albumin and insignificant higher for rabbits fed T1 and T3 chicory herb than those of control one. However, activities of Aspartate (AST) and Alanine (ALT) aminotransferase enzymes were significant (P<0.05) higher with all the tested treatments than those of control one, being the highest value was occurred with T2. Inversely, the concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol and uric acid were  significant (P<0.05) lower with all tested rations than those of control one, being the lowest values were associated with T2 and T3 rations. And show that, no significant differences were found between treatments in caecal pH value. While, caecal TVFAs concentration was significantly increased (P<0.05), but ammonia concentration was decreased for rabbits fed T2 diet compared with T3 and control one. It could be concluded that diet of T2 led to an improvement in growth performance of rabbits and nutrients digestibility.