This experiment was conducted to study the effect of different times of probiotic supplemented on performance and some blood characteristics of New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. A total of 40 NZW rabbits weaned at six weeks of age were divided equally into five treatment groups. Each group contained four replicates with two rabbits each. The experimental period, extended from 6 to 14 weeks of age. Five treatment groups were tested: 1), the control diet (without probiotic; 2) supplemented probiotic in drinking water from 6 to 10 weeks of age; 3), supplemented probiotic in drinking water from 8 to 12weeks of age; 4) supplemented probiotic in drinking water from 10 to 14weeks of age; 5) supplemented probiotic in drinking water from 12 to 14weeks of age. The experimental diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous (17.25% CP) and iso-caloric (2568 kcal DE/kg diet).
Results obtained could be summarized as follow:
The final live body weight and total body weight gain were significantly (P<0.01) affected by experimental treatment groups. The highest (P<0.01) values of live body weight and total body weight gain were recorded with rabbits that supplemented probiotic in drinking water during 8-12 weeks period (2187.75 g and 1451.50 g).
Feed intake was insignificantly (P<0.05) with rabbits that supplemented probiotic in drinking water during interval 10-14 weeks and the whole 6-14 weeks period. The best (P<0.01) feed conversion value was recorded with rabbits that supplemented probiotic in drinking water during 8-12 weeks period (2.87g feed/g gain).
The lowest (P<0.05) value of dressing wt.% was recorded with rabbits that supplemented probiotic in drinking water during(10-14) weeks period (51.72 %) compared with the other experimental treatments. Rabbits supplemented with probiotic during (6-10) recorded the highest (P<0.01) value of total giblets wt. % (66.96 %) compared with the other experimental treatments.