BLOOD METABOLITES, GROWTH AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND IMMUNE RESPONSIVENESS IN GROWING AND DOE RABBITS AS AFFECTED BY ACITROL TREATMENTS

Experiments with weanlIng and doe rabbits were conducted to de-termine the effect of acitrol supplementation on blood parameters. growth, reproductive performance and immune function. Both experi‌ments were conducted in the same farm at the same time and treated with the same levels. Experiment 1. Forty New-Zealand White rabbits about 5 weeks of age and 665 g average initial body weight were assigned to four experi-mental groups (ten rabbits each). Water was provided ad libitum and supplemented with different levels of acitrol as follows : 0 supplementa‌tion as control group (1), 0.5. 1.0 and 1.5 nil& acitrol for groups 2, 3 and 4. respectively. Experiment 2. 32 New-Zealand White does were as-signed to four experimental groups and treated as in growing rabbit trial for two parities. Results showed that acitrol supplementation improved significant‌ly (P<0.05) body weight, body gain and feed/gain ratio compared to the control or low level groups. Also, great improvements in both experi‌ments were noticed for Ht, HD. GOT, OPT. TP, Alb, Glob. Ca. Mg. Zn, Cu and lymphocytes type due to acitrol supplementation. A reduction was recorded in pH. P and K (in both trials) values in acitrol groups compared to control group. All the reproductive performance were improved due to acitrol treatments and the second parity showed a slight improvement in all parameters studied compared to first one. It can be concluded that supplementation of acitrol showed a groat role In enhancing the Immune system, improved growth perfor‌mance, blood metabolites and reproductive parameters due to the inclu‌sion of Cu, Zn, and Mn in organic form besides presence of the other components like pantothenic acid and the other acids. From the econom‌ic point 1mVL is recommended for both growing and does rabbits.