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Impacts of Ambient Temperature and Humidity on Biochemical Traits in Male Rabbits Fed Dietary Protein and Selenium Supplementation

Mohammed Abdulrashid, DarrenT. Juniper

The deleterious effects of high ambient temperatures and undefined dietary protein supply to male rabbits, apparently continue to pose great challenges on efficient and productive performance in rabbit farming under tropical conditions. Forty eight male New Zealand White rabbits of 23 ± 1.414 weeks of age, weighing 2.8 ± 1.131kg, were randomly allotted to six isocaloric dietary treatments ( n = 8 animals/ treatment) that differed in either protein (14g/100g, 18g/100g and 22g/100g) or selenium (0.4 and 0.7 mg Se/ kg diet). Animals were distributed in a 2 x 3 factorial design.Blood samples (2ml/sample) were drawn via the marginal ear vein using micro syringes. Significantly different values on the concentrations oftriidothyronine(R2 = 0.17, P= 0.001), aspartate aminotransferase (R2 = 0.13, P = 0.001), cholesterol (R2 = 0.06, P= 0.003),cortisol (R2 = 0.02, P= 0.049) and mean corpuscular volume (R2 = 0.03, P = 0.027) between the periods. Significantly low values on cortisol (P= 0.037), Red blood cells (R2 = 0.996, P= 0.028) and mean corpuscular volume (R2 = 0.705, P= 0.251) were observed on 22g/100g protein groups as compared to other dietary protein treatments.There were significant differences in circulating alkaline phosphatase (P= 0.007)and platelets (P= 0.011) on dietary selenium levels with higher values on un-supplemented group. Most of the parameters were within normal range.Findings revealed the potentials of dietary protein and selenium supplements towards enhancingthe productive performance of the rabbits under tropical condition.