Growth, haematology and serum biochemical responses of rabbit bucks administered carrot (daucus carota) seed meal

Abstract

An experiment was conducted with 24 crossbred rabbit bucks (8 months old, 1770±55.05g) to assess their growth performance, haematological and serum biochemical responses to carrot seed meal (CSM). The administered treatments were 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6mg CSM/kg in treatments 1 (control), 2, 3 and 4, respectively, orally drenched into each animal on treatment basis, with six rabbits per treatment for twelve weeks. Feed intake, weight gain and carcass yield were monitored. Blood samples were collected at baseline, day 45 and day 70 from each rabbit. Average body weight gain ranged from 169.60±9.08g (T4) to 337.26±9.08g (T3), the average weekly feed intake ranged from 882.40±12.06g (T4) to 1014.30±12.06g (T2) and carcass yield from 47.75±8.57g (T4) to 61.25±8.75g (T3). All haematological parameters were not significantly different among the treatments except eosinophils at the mid stage of the experiment. All serum parameters were not significantly different at baseline. Aspartate amino transferase, Alanine amino transferase, bilirubin, globulin, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein were similar among the treatments, while the total protein, albumin, albumin/globulin were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by treatments at the mid stage. At the end line, only triglycerides, low density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein were significantly (p<0.05) different among the treatments. However, the values were within the physiological range for healthy rabbits. It was concluded that carrot seed meal did not adversely affect the blood profile and health status of rabbits with CSM up to 0.4mg/kg enhanced growth performance in rabbit bucks.