Carcass traits, cecum activity, blood metabolic parameters and histopathological status in rabbits fed jatropha (jatropha curcas)‎ seed meal

Abstract EN

A total number of forty eight New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits 5 weeks of age and 683 + 28 g average live body weight were allotted at random to three similar experimental groups (of 16 rabbits each).

Each group of rabbits was fed one of three experimental pelleted diets (16 % crude protein and 13 % crude fiber on average).

The feeding trail extended for 9 weeks.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of partial substitution (50 or 100 %) of soybean meal of control diet with different levels of non toxic jatropha seed meal (JSM) as the sources for plant protein.

on cecal activity, carcass characteristics, blood constitutions, and histopathological status.

Results indicated no significant differences among the experimental groups in cecum activity.

In addition, no significant differences among the experimental groups in serum total protein, albumin, globulin, serum aminotransferase (AST and ALT), creatinine and albumin| globulin ratio were recorded, while urea-N were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by different treatments.

Hot carcass weight, dressing percentages and carcass characteristics were not significant, dressing percentage of rabbits fed diet containing 50 % JSM was (56.76 %) followed by diet that containing 100 % (55.7 %), while the lowest value showed in control diet (55.30 %).

No significant differences were found in chemical composition of fresh meat among the experimental groups.

No significant differences among the experimental groups regarding platelets, MCV and MCH compared with the control group.

There were no abnormalities, where hepatic architecture and hepatic lobules of histological structure of liver with no necrosis or cellular degeneration.

There was no fatty liver observed.

No abnormalities, there was only cloudy swelling to tubules in both treated and control groups in kidney.

It could be concluded that substitution of jatropha seed meal up to 50 or 100% of soybean meal in the diet of NZW rabbits had good results including carcass characteristics, blood constituent and histopathological status, without adverse effects.