The present study was conducted to evaluate 16 crosses between 4 breeds of rabbits from a physiological point of view. The breeds tested were Baladi Red (BR), Chinchilla Giganta (ChG), French Giant Papillon (FGP) and Simenwar (S). A total number of 6144 blood samples were collected to detect the effect of crossing, age of kits, month of kindling and sex effects. The traits evaluated were: haematological parameters; red blood cell count (RBCs), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), haematocrit value (Ht%), biochemical parameters of plasma; total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), globulin concentration (Glo), albumin/globulin ratio (Alb/Glo) and triglycerides (TG). BR or its crosses, using BR sires or BR dams, showed the highest value of RBCs, Hb and Ht%. Crossbred rabbits obtained from mating BR and FGP rabbits had the highest Glo values. Rabbits which were born in May-June months had the highest values of TP and its fractions (Alb and Glo). Age of kits had a highly significant effect (P<0.001) on RBCs, Hb, Ht%, TP and TG. Moreover, Glo and Alb/Glo ratio (P<0.01) and Alb (P<0.05) were also significantly affected. Sex had no significant effect on all studied parameters. Significant positive correlations were found between TP and each final body weight, total weight gain, total feed intake, carcass weight and dressing percentage, while significant negative correlation was found with feed conversion.

This study was performed to examine the influences of Spirulina platensis powder (SPP) on growth performance, physiological status, blood biochemistry, and intestinal microbial population in quail. 240-10-days old Japanese quail chicks were distributed into five groups. Each group had four replicate pens with 12 birds each. The first group received a basal diet (control group). Groups from two to five received the basal diet with SPP at levels of 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0% as dietary ingredients, respectively. Results clarified significantly higher live body weight and body weight gain (p < 0.001) with significant enhancements (p < 0.001) in feed conversion values for groups that received SPP levels, especially 4.5% compared with the control and other groups. Birds fed on a diet containing SPP had significantly higher amylase, trypsin and lipase levels (p < 0.001) than the control. Intestinal Lactobacillus sp. was significantly increased, and Escherichia coli and Salamonella populations were significantly decreased by dietary SPP levels (p < 0.001). Liver function, total lipid profile, antioxidant parameters and immune response were significantly affected by SPP levels compared with the control (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the inclusion of SPP until 4.5% in quail diets could improve the growth performance, intestinal microbial population and serum biochemical constituents of growing quail.

The effects of exogenous lysozyme supplementation (LYZ) on growth performance, caecal fermentation and microbiota, and blood characteristics were investigated in growing rabbits. A total of 420 growing male V-Line rabbits (30 d old; weighing 528 ± 16 g) were randomly divided into four groups of 105 rabbits each, and monitored for 42 days. Experimental groups included a control group (LYZ0) fed a basal diet without LYZ supplementation, and three treated groups fed the same basal diet supplemented with LYZ at 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg diet, respectively. The results showed a quadratic improvement in the final body weight, daily growth rate, FCR, and digestibility of DM, while the digestibility of OM, CP, EE, NDF, and ADF improved linearly when LYZ supplementation was increased. The dressing percentage increased quadratically when LYZ levels were increased in the rabbit diets. In rabbits fed LYZ diets, L. acidophilus counts increased linearly (p < 0.05) and L. cellobiosus, and Enterococcus sp. counts increased quadratically, whereas E. coli counts decreased. In the LYZ-supplemented groups, the caecal pH value and NH₃-N concentration declined quadratically, whereas total VFA, acetic, and butyric acids increased. Total lipids decreased linearly, whilst triglycerides and cholesterol decreased quadratically with LYZ supplementation. Total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, and catalase increased quadratically, while malondialdehyde decreased linearly in the LYZ-supplemented groups. In conclusion, exogenous lysozyme administration improved rabbit growth performance and antioxidant status while lowering the blood lipid profile, altering the bacterial population, and regulating caecal fermentation. Therefore, LYZ up to 150 mg/kg can be used as a potential supplement in rabbit feed.

One thousand one-day-old Cobb broilers were randomly allotted to four dietary groups to study the influences of various levels of nutritional supplementation of Alpinia galangal rhizomes extracts (AGRE) on blood biochemical components, antioxidant status biomarkers, lipid peroxidation, productive performance, and carcass traits of broilers beneath summer circumstances. The control set was fed a standard diet free of AGRE; the trial groups obtained the standard diet besides 250, 500, and 750 mg AGRE /kg. The trial time continued for six weeks. The obtain results showed that, in groups, 500 AGRE and 750 AGRE, plasma globulin, albumin, and total protein were significantly augmented. However, all levels of AGRE supplementary diets revealed significantly decreased in the plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoproteins, and total lipids. Total antioxidant capacity, glutathione S -transferase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were significantly augmented by supplementing nutritional AGRE, respectively. In contrast, malondialdehyde was lowered with rising AGRE levels. Chickens of group 750 AGRE had the lowest mortality and also, the most effective feed conversion ratio and body weight gain. Percentage of dressing, breast, and thigh significantly augmented for chicks consumed different levels of AGRE. Also, the group fed on AGRE recorded the highest abdominal fat compared with control group. Additional, liver, heart and gizzard weights were increased significantly in the group of chickens that received different levels of AGRE as compared with the control group. Ascending levels of AGRE supplementary in broiler diet affected the carcass meat, which was noticed an increase in crude protein, moisture and ether extract in breast meat compared to the control group. However, ascending levels of AGRE supplementary caused downward in crude protein contents of thigh meat compared to the control group. The present findings revealed that all tested levels of AGRE supplementations were useful against heat stress to downgrade the adverse effects of heat stress in broilers.

The present research aimed to study the impacts of diverse doses of multi-enzymes (ME) ZAD® oral administration on oxidative stress, some antioxidant enzymes, and blood indices of growing rabbit males. At 4 weeks (average body weight 527.64±15.78 g), forty-five weaned rabbit males from V-line (VL) were randomly distributed to three groups. The control group received orally 1.0 ml distilled water (0.0 ZAD®), the experimental groups administrated orally with 0.75, and 1.25 ml ZAD®/rabbit/day, respectively. The experimental period lasted for 6 weeks. The values of derived compounds of reactive oxygen metabolites were decreased significantly (P≤0.01) with ME oral administration (ZAD®) levels, however, the values of total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione S-transferase were enhanced significantly (P≤0.05). The results indicated that improvement of the scavenging capacity of the antioxidant defense system against oxidative stress processes in the treatment groups. The parameter hematological values containing red blood cell counts, hemoglobin, packed cell volume and mean corpuscular volume were improved significant (P≤0.05) with V-line rabbits groups which treated with ME oral administration (ZAD®) comparing with the control group. Some values of hematological blood in treated groups as mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and platelets count did not differ from those of the control group. There were highly significant differences (P≤0.001) between treatments on white blood cell counts, lymphocytes%, and neutrophils (N): lymphocytes (L) also were significant differences (P≤0.01) between treatments on neutrophils%. The highest value of WBC count and L% (12.11x103/µL and 63%), respectively noted with rabbits received 1.25 ZAD®/rabbit/day, while recording the lowest value of N% and N: L (25.9% and 0.41), respectively.