Improving productive performance, immunity, and health status of growing rabbits by using honey bee venom (Apis mellifera).

To investigate the effect of bee venom (BV) as a natural growth promotor on growing rabbits as an alternative to antibiotics, sixty 35-day-old Californian male rabbits with an average body weight of 584 ± 9 gm were randomly divided into five equal groups as follows: The 2nd group received drinking water supplied with 10 mg Oxytetracycline (OXT), while the 3rd, 4th, and 5th groups received 2, 4 and 8 mg bee venom (BV)/kg body weight/day in drinking water, and the first group was served as a control group. The growth performance features were positively impacted by adding BV (p ≤ 0.01) compared to the control, whereas LBW and BWG increased and FI reduced. Significantly improved carcass characteristics (p ≤ 0.01) as a result of the BV supplementation. Blood characteristics showed a significant reduction (p ≤ 0.01) in liver enzyme activities and Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Low-density lipoproteins Cholesterol (LDL) as affected by BV treatment; inversely, total protein and globulin were significantly increased (p ≤ 0.01). Similarly, BV had a positive effect (p ≤ 0.01) on anti-oxidant status (Total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)). In contrast, the lipid peroxidation biomarker (Malondialdehyde (MDA)) was significantly decreased. The immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM) was significantly increased (p ≤ 0.01) by BV treatment. There was a positive effect of low BV levels on decreasing both cecum TBC and pathogenic bacterial count (Salmonella spp., E.coli spp., Proteus spp., and Clostridia spp.) that was significant (p ≤ 0.01). In conclusion, BV can be a natural growth promoter to enhance growth performance traits, immunological and anti-oxidative responses, and reduce pathogenic bacteria in the hindgut of growing rabbits.

Dietary exogenous phytase improve egg quality, reproductive hormones, and prolongs the lifetime of the aging Hy-Line brown laying hens fed nonphytate phosphorus.

The study examined how adding phytase to nonphytate phosphorus (NPP) diets affected performance, egg quality, reproductive hormones, and plasma biochemical indices in 73- to 80-wk-old laying hens. Six treatments with 5 replicates of 18 Hy-Line brown laying hens each were randomly assigned. Three isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets containing consistent calcium levels (3.8%) were formulated to contain 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30% NPP, treated with or without phytase supplementation (1,000 FYT per kg feed, Ronozyme HiPhos-L, Aspergillus oryzae 6-phytase). The results showed that the addition of phytase to the diet containing 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30% NPP increased egg production by 1.50, 1.64, and 0.97%, respectively, and improved eggshell thickness. Also, use of phytase in the diet contain 0.25, and 0.30% NPP increased the plasma concentration of albumin (ALB), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), phosphorus (P), and plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), plasma calcium (Ca), estradiol-17ß (E2ß), and luteinizing hormone (LH). In contrast, the egg weight, feed intake, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk, and shell color were unaffected. It can be advisable to use phytase supplementation in an elderly laying hen's diet contain 0.25, and 0.30% NPP to improve shell quality and positively impact reproductive hormones leading to the persistence of egg production.

Expression profiling of HSP 70 and interleukins 2, 6 and 12 genes of Barki sheep during summer and winter seasons in two different locations.

The objectives of this research were to contrast the expression values of heat shock protein (HSP70) and interleukins 2, 6 and 12 (IL 2, IL 6 and IL 12) genes in summer and winter in two different locations in Egypt (Alexandria zone and Matrouh zone) to deduce changes in thermo-physiological traits and biochemical blood metabolites of Barki sheep. A total of 50 ewes (20 in Alexandria and 30 in Matrouh) were individually blood sampled to determine plasma total protein (TP), Albumin, Globulin and Glucose constituents and T3, T4 and cortisol hormones. The thermo-physiological parameters of rectal temperature (RT, °C), skin temperature (ST, °C), Wool temperature (WT, °C), respiration rate (RR, breaths/min) and pulse rate (PR, beats/min) were measured for each ewe. Expressions of IL 2, IL 6, IL 12 and HSP 70 in summer and winter were analyzed along with thermo-physiological parameters and blood biochemical metabolites. In both locations, THI had significant effects on ST, WT, PR and RR, but not significant on RT. However, it had no significant effects on blood plasma metabolites and hormonal concentrations in the two locations in summer and winter. In Alexandria location, THI had negative significant effect on the expressions of IL-2 and IL-6 but positively affected on HSP70 genes in winter, while the expression of IL-12 gene was not affected by seasons, whereas in Matrouh zone, the effects of THI on the expressions of all tolerance genes were not significant. The results of the current study suggest that IL-2, IL-6 and HSP70 genes could be used as molecular markers for heat/cold stress.

Effect of Dietary Rosemary and Ginger Essential Oils on the Growth Performance, Feed Utilization, Meat Nutritive Value, Blood Biochemicals, and Redox Status of Growing NZW Rabbits.

This study was conducted to assess the impacts of using two essential oils, rosemary and ginger, on growing rabbits' performance, carcass traits, meat composition, blood biochemicals, and the redox status of growing New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. A total of 120 unsexed NZW rabbits, 42-days-old, were assigned randomly to five experimental groups (n = 24, 6 replicates with 4 rabbits each). The first group received a basal diet (control), the second to fifth groups were dietary supplemented daily with rosemary essential oil (REO) and ginger essential oil (GEO) at doses of 0.25 and 0.5% for each supplementation (REO-0.25, REO-0.5, GEO-0.25, and GEO-0.5), respectively. The growth traits were studied for 7 weeks, from the 7th to the 13th week of the rabbits' age. The results revealed that final body weight, weight gain, and average daily gain increased significantly (p < 0.01) in the REO-0.5 and GEO-0.5 treatments compared to the control group. Daily feed intake decreased (p = 0.005) in essential oil treatments. Meanwhile, the feed conversion ratio improved significantly (p = 0.001) in REO and GEO at the high doses compared to the control group. The weight percentages of liver and giblets increased (p < 0.001) with both treatments of REO and GEO compared to the control group. The dietary supplementation with REO and GEO did not affect (p > 0.05) the meat composition of Longissimus dorsi and hind leg muscles. Meanwhile, REO and GEO supplementation significantly decreased cholesterol levels in the rabbit meat. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance concentrations decreased by 10 and 15% in the meat of REO-0.5 and GEO-0.5 treatments, respectively, compared to the other groups. In the same trend, REO and GEO treatments induced a significant (p = 0.001) reduction in the plasma cholesterol concentrations and triglycerides compared to the control. The total antioxidant capacity increased by 7.60% and the malondialdehyde decreased by 11.64% in the plasma of GEO-0.5 treatment than the control. Thus, the dietary supplementation of REO and GEO have a beneficial effect in improving the productivity and meat quality of growing rabbits.

In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment of Dietary Supplementation of Both Natural or Nano-Zeolite in Goat Diets: Effects on Ruminal Fermentation and Nutrients Digestibility.

This study aimed to evaluate in vitro and in vivo dietary supplementation with different levels of natural or nano-zeolite forms on rumen fermentation patterns and nutrient digestibility. In the in vitro experiment, a basal diet (50% concentrate: 50% forage) was incubated without additives (control) and with natural zeolite (10, 20, 30 g/kg DM) or nano-zeolite (0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1.0 g/kg DM) for 24 h to assess their effect on ruminal fermentation, feed degradability, and gas and methane production using a semi-automatic system of in vitro gas production (GP). The most effective doses obtained from the in vitro experiment were evaluated in vivo using 30 Barki goats (26 ± 0.9 SE kg body weight). Goats were allocated into three dietary treatments (n = 10/treatment) as follows: control (basal diet without any supplementations), natural zeolite (20 g/kg DM diet), and nano-zeolite (0.40 g/kg DM diet). The in vitro results revealed that only the nano-zeolite supplementation form quadratically (p= 0.004) increased GP, and the level of 0.5 g/kg DM had the highest GP value compared to the control. Both zeolite forms affected the CH4 production, linear, and quadratic reductions (p < 0.05) in CH4 (mL/g DM), consistent with linear increases in truly degraded organic matter (TDOM) (p = 0.09), and propionate molar proportions (p = 0.007) were observed by nano zeolite treatment, while the natural form of zeolite resulted in a linear CH4 reduction consistent with a linear decrease (p = 0.004) in NH3-N, linear increases in TDOM (p = 0.09), and propionate molar proportions (p = 0.004). Results of the in vivo experiment demonstrated that the nutrient digestibility was similar among all treatments. Nano zeolite enhanced (p < 0.05) the total short-chain fatty acids and butyrate concentrations, while both zeolite forms decreased (p < 0.001) NH3-N compared to the control. These results suggested that both zeolite supplementation forms favorably modified the rumen fermentation in different patterns.

Improving the reproductive, immunity and health status of rabbit does using honey bee venom.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term effect of using bee venom (BV) on the reproductive performance, immune, and health status of rabbit does and its effect on their litters. Sixty mature does, from Spanish V-line rabbit stock, were randomly assigned to four homogeneous groups with 15 does each. The 1st , 2nd and 3rd groups were injected twice weekly under the neck skin with 0.1 ml solution contains 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg BV/rabbit respectively. The 4th group served as a control group. From the results, litter size at birth, litter weight and survival rate at weaning age as well as milk yield were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased in BV groups than in the control group. Serum estradiol 17-ß (E2) was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher (15%) in the rabbit does treated with BV compared to the control group. The treated does with BV at any study doses showed a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease (12%) in serum progesterone levels (P4) compared to the control. They also showed a significant (p≤0.05) increase in conception (17%) and fertility rates (10%) compared to the control does. Treatment of rabbit does with BV caused a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction in both aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (16%) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (37%) liver enzyme activities. Additionally, results have shown that BV resulted in a gradual and significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC), antioxidative enzymes such as glutathione S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), serum IgG, IgM and IgA levels with significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in BV groups compared to the control group. Results suggest that BV can be used in rabbit farming as an effective and safe alternative to artificial chemical drugs (sexual-stimulants) to improve certain reproductive traits, immune response and health.

Alternative feed ingredients in the finisher diets for sustainable broiler production.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the utilization of alternative protein feed ingredients including sunflower meal (SFM), corn gluten meal (CGM), and dried distillers' grains with solubles (DDGS) as a mixture in a partial replacement of soybean meal (SBM) in broiler finisher diets with different protein levels and also to evaluate their effect on birds' performance, environmental aspects of litter, cecal microbes, and economic prospects. A total of 576 (19 days old) Cobb 500 broiler chicks were fed eight finisher diets consisting of 4 control (CTL) diets based on SBM with different crude protein (CP) levels (CTL21, CTL20, CTL19, and CTL18, containing 21%, 20%, 19%, and 18% CP, respectively) and 4 test diets with alternative protein sources (APS21, APS20, APS19, and APS18, containing 21%, 20%, 19%, and 18% CP, respectively) using a 15% combination of alternative protein sources (2.5% CGM, 5% SFM, and 7.5% DDGS) until 35 days of age. The results indicated that birds fed test diets APS21 and APS20 recorded the highest (P < 0.05) body weight compared to other treatments, but it was not different than the CTL diets fed at these CP levels. The birds fed CTL18 or APS18 recorded the worst feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to other treatments. Moreover, birds fed test diet containing APS21 recorded better (P < 0.05) European performance efficiency factor and better economic efficiency when compared to other treatments, but it was not different than CTL21. In addition, birds fed diets APS21 and CTL19 showed significantly increased litter Lactobacillus spp. (P < 0.05) compared to other treatments. Cecal Lactobacillus spp. and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were not affected by CTL or APS diets. The counts of cecal Salmonella spp. increased in the CTL21 group compared to other groups. In conclusion, alternative feed ingredients (protein sources) in broiler finisher diets have positive effects in a sustainable way on the productive performance, litter and cecal microbial counts, and improved economic efficiency when compared to CTL diets.