Influence of Mannan oligosaccharides and Tulasi (ocimum sanctum) on Carcass and Meat Quality Characteristics of Rabbits

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted with twenty-four Newzealand white male rabbits weighing around 580 g that were assigned into four homogeneous treatment groups randomly (C, T1, T2 and T3) each with six rabbits. The rabbits fed with basal diet (without any antibiotic, coccidiostat or growth promoting supplements) grouped as control; basal diet mixed with the prebiotic (MOS) @ Mannan oligo saccharide (1.0 g/ kg feed) grouped as T1; basal diet mixed with the antibiotic ie) Oxytetracycline hydrochloride powder @ 250 g/tone of feed are grouped as T2 and basal diet mixed with the herbal powder tulasi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf powder @ 50g/kg feed are grouped as T3 and the trail was conducted for a period of 42 days. Rabbits fed with tulasi (Ocimum sanctum) leaf powder (TLP) @ 50g/kg feed had significantly (P<0.05) higher pre slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, dressing per centage, meat bone ratio, muscle per cent and bone per cent than rabbits fed with control feed and MOS and antibiotic supplemented feed. Addition of different dietary supplements did not significantly (P>0.05) influenced the carcass length of rabbits. Addition of tulasi leaf powder in the rabbit diet significantly (P<0.05) recorded better physico-chemical attributes like lower drip loss and higher extract release volume, water holding capacity and cooking yield, higher moisture and protein content than remaining formulations. Meat obtained from rabbits fed with tulasi leaf powder had significantly (P<0.05) superior sensory scores than meat obtained from rabbits fed with remaining formulations. Based on the results, it can be concluded that addition of tulasi leaf powder @50 g/kg feed yielded better carcass characteristics and meat quality attributes to commercial broiler rabbits.