Clausena Anisate Essential Oil in the Diet of Weaner Rabbits Enhanced Growth Performance and Blood Constituents

John AO

Published on: 1970-01-01

Abstract

This research was undertaken to evaluate the effects of feeding weaner rabbits a diet supplemented with Clausena anisate essential oil at different levels. Forty clinically healthy weaned male rabbits about 5 to 6 months of age, with an average initial weight of 720.0 ± 0.71 kg, were randomly divided into four dietary groups with ten replicates each. The dietary treatments were (A) basal diet without Clausena anisate oil; (B) basal diet supplemented with 0.3 mL Clausena anisate oil per kg DM feed daily; (C) basal diet supplemented with 0.6 mL Clausena anisate oil per kg DM feed daily; (D) basal diet supplemented with 0.9 mL Clausena anisate oil per kg DM feed daily in a completely randomized design for a duration of 60 days. Feed was provided ad libitum, and clean water was available at all times. Results obtained revealed that Clausena anisate oil increased (p<0.05) body weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio. High Clausena anisate oil treatment increased the concentration of packed cell volume, haemoglobin, red blood cells, white blood cells, lymphocytes, and monocytes. Clausena anisate oil supplementation decreased (p<0.05) low-density lipoprotein concentration and increased total protein, albumin, globulin, and high-density lipoprotein except for urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and alanine amino transaminase (p>0.05). It was concluded that the supplementation of Clausena anisate essential oil up to 0.9 mL per kg DM daily improved weight gain, feed consumption, and blood constituents of weaner rabbits without causing any deleterious effect on their health status.