EFFECT OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION WITH NANO-SELENIUM OR GLUTAMINE ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF GROWING RABBITS FED DIETS CONTAINING TWO CRUDE PROTEIN LEVELS

Abstract

In this experiment, fifty four, 6-week-old weaned New Zealand White rabbits were used to investigate the impact of dietary supplementation with nano-selenium or glutamine on growth performance and carcass characteristics of growing rabbits fed diets containing two crude protein levels. A factorial experiment (2x3), being two levels of dietary crude protein (16 and 14 %) without or with organic nano-Se (0.1 mg/kg feed) and glutamine (10 g/kg feed) were performed. Rabbits were randomly distributed into 6 equal experimental groups; each contained three equal replications. Each replicate group was housed in a separate cage and fed their respective experimental diets from 6 to 15 weeks of age. Feed and water were offered ad libitum throughout the experimental period. Apart from the effect of feed supplements, rabbits fed the normal crude protein level (16%) achieved significantly better growth performance (final live body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio) while carcass traits were not affected compared with those of rabbits fed the low crude protein level. But dietary supplements (nano-Se or glutamine) did not significantly affect criteria of growth performance or dressing-out percentage of rabbits. Dietary protein by added supplements interaction did not significantly affect traits, investigated in the present study, the whole experimental period. Based on the present results, it can concluded that the crude protein level (14%) is inadequate for attaining normal growth of post-weaning New Zealand White rabbits. However, dietary supplementation with nano-selenium or glutamine proved to be ineffective.