The influence of different amounts of zinc citrate on blood biochemical indices and productivity of rabbit organism

Abstract

Deficiency of micro- and macronutrients in the organism of young rabbits causes disorders of metabolism and decreased productivity. Inclusion of essential micronutrients made by nanotechnology to the rabbit diet can eliminate this problem. Therefore, the purpose of our research was to investigate the influence of different amounts of zinc citrate in combination with cobalt and chromium citrates on the biochemical processes in the organism and the productivity of rabbits from 62 to 86 days of age. Researches were performed on rabbits 40 days of age, weighing 1.2–1.4 kg. The animals of the experimental groups were fed with fodder ration of the control group and during the day were fed with cobalt citrate in the amount of 40 μg Co/kg of body weight, chromium citrate – 40 mcg Cr/kg of body weight and zinc citrate, calculated respectively in I, II and III of experimental groups 0.25; 0.50 and 0.75 mg Zn/kg of body weight. In the preparatory period – on the 10th day and in the experimental on the 12th, 24th and 36th days of drinking the supplements in 4 animals from the group blood samples were taken for biochemical researches. Body weight gain was also determined by weighing. It was found that in the blood of animals of the first experimental group on the 12th day of drinking mineral additives increased the cholesterol content on 28.8%, on 24th day – decrease by 39.1% and increase – creatinine by 11.6%, and on 36th day – increase in blood of total protein on 12.3%, increase of alkaline phosphatase activity by 23.0%, creatinine content by 15.5% and average daily growth by 9.4%. A similar additive containing zinc citrate of 0.50 mg Zn/kg of body weight in the blood of rabbits of the second experimental group increased the activity of ACAT by 12 and 24 days, respectively, by 37.3 and 22.1%, respectively, and reduced their cholesterol content by 33.9 and 63.1% compared to the control. Whereas in the same group the growth of ALT activity was noted by 23.7%, and the average daily increase was higher than the control indicator by 7.9% 36 days of the research in comparison with the control group. The high content of zinc citrate in the mineral supplement (0.75 mg Zn/kg) in the blood of rabbits of the third experimental group contributed to the increase of the total protein concentration in all periods of the research, AST activity increased by 26.1% on the 24th day, AAT by 34.9% and the content of triacylglycerols and cholesterol was decreased, while on the 36th day the AAT activity increased by 20.3%, under these conditions, the average daily weight gain of rabbits was the highest and amounted to 38.4 g, which was 12.9% higher than the control. Therefore, the additive in the content of citrates of Co and Cr in the amount of 40 μg/kg of body weight and Zn citrate in the amount of 0.75 mg Zn/kg of body weight contributed to the improvement of metabolic processes and increase of growth indices, which may indicate the dose-dependent influence of the additives used in the rabbit young body.