Comparative Growth Response of New Zealand White Rabbits to Various Dietary Sources of Selenium

Manylawi, Mohmed Fouad; Elaime, Randa; Abdalla Hekal, Sahar Hussein; Fared, Mona; Salama, Walaa Attia

doi:10.21608/ejvs.2025.391164.2881

Comparative Growth Response of New Zealand White Rabbits to Various Dietary Sources of Selenium

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ faculty of agriculture cairo university

² faculty of agriculture cairo cairo university

³ Department of Natural Resources Faculty of African Postgraduate Studies, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

⁴ cairo university

⁵ animal production institute

10.21608/ejvs.2025.391164.2881

Abstract

This study evaluated how dietary inclusion of organic selenium and selenium nanoparticles, both at a concentration of 0.3 mg/kg diet, affects the growth, carcass characteristics, and blood parameters in New Zealand White rabbits during the growing period. A total of 45 rabbits, each six weeks old and averaging 746.1±4.41g in body weight, were randomly assigned into three dietary treatment groups (15 rabbits per group with 3 replicates each). The groups were fed pelleted diets consisting of: a selenium-free control diet (T₁), the control diet plus organic selenium (T₂) at level 0.3 mg/kg diet, and the control diet supplemented with nano-selenium (T₃) at level 0.3 mg/kg diet. The feeding trial extended for 8 weeks. Results demonstrated that both final body weight and weight gain were significantly higher in rabbits receiving organic or nano-selenium compared to the control group. Dressing percentage and weight of edible giblets also improved with selenium supplementation. Feed conversion ratios were notably better with selenium supplementation. While nano selenium was relatively better than organic selenium. While serum levels of albumin, albumin/globulin ratio, ALT, cholesterol, and creatinine showed no significant differences among the groups, total protein, globulin, and AST levels were significantly affected by selenium source. Economically, nano-selenium supplementation achieved the best returns, followed by organic selenium, relative to the control. Conclusively, it could be recommended to supplementation nano or organic selenium of the rabbit diets improve growth, carcass characteristics, and blood parameters in New Zealand White rabbits and improve economic efficiency.
Conclusively, it could be recommended to supplementation nano or organic -selenium of the rabbit diets improve growth, carcass characteristics, and blood parameters in New Zealand White rabbits and improve economic efficiency.

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