The present study was included two trails. The first trail was started
from sexual maturity at 6 months of age up to fulfillment two parities in order
to evaluate the effects of treatment with either oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin
on some physiological parameters, as well as , the reproductive performance
of female Bouscat rabbits, In this respect, 36 does were randomly divided into
three groups. The first group was used as a control group and was
subcutaneously injected with saline solution (1 ml of 0.9 % NaCl). The second
and three groups were subcutaneously injected with 50 mg oxytetracycline
and 2.5 mg enrofloxacin/ kg body weight, respectively. The 2nd trail, lasted 8
weeks (from weaning at 5 weeks up to 13 weeks of age) in order to evaluate
the effects of injection of some antimicrobials (tetracycline and enrofloxacin)
on productive performance of growing Bouscat rabbits . In this respect, 60
weaning Bouscat rabbits (30 males and 30 females, 5 weeks old), as similarly
in the 1st part.
Results showed that the live body weight was increased with
oxytetracycline and decreased with enrofloxacin as compared to the control.
Treatment with either oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin increased the total
number of RBCs after mating and decreased it during pregnancy, lactation
period and at sacrifice. The WBCs of rabbits treated with oxytetracycline and
enrofloxacin were significantly increased than the control group. The platelets
count of rabbits treated with oxytetracycline was decreased after mating and
during pregnancy and increased during lactation and at sacrifice. In
oxytetracycline-treated does, there was a slight increase in hemoglobin
concentration.
The serum AST was significantly decreased in female rabbits treated
with oxytetracycline one-week after the 1st injection, ALT was also
insignificantly decreased by treatment with oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin
as compared with the control group. After the 1st injection; oxytetracycline
insignificantly decreased the creatinine and significantly decreased urea
concentration, while enrofloxacin increased the serum levels of both
creatinine and urea. At sacrifice, the progesterone level was significantly
increased by treatment with oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin. Estradiol level
significantly increased in both oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin-treated does
after mating, during pregnancy and at sacrifice.
Conception rate was significantly increased in doe rabbits treated with
either oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin as compared to that of the control. The
litter size at birth was slightly increased after treatment with either
oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin, and was increased significantly at 21 and 28
days with both treatments. The litter weight at birth of treated rabbits with
oxytetracycline was significantly improved followed by enrofloxacin as
compared with control group. Oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin treatments
significantly increased the daily milk yield at 1st, 2nd and 3rd week of lactation
period of doe rabbits as compared to that of the control group. Both
oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin injections significantly increased the
viability percentage during the period from birth to 21 and 28 days. Both
oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin treatments significantly increased the daily
weight gain from 5-9, 9-13 and 5-13 weeks of age intervals of growing rabbits.
The feed intake of growing rabbits was insignificantly increased during
5-9 and 5-13 weeks of age and insignificantly decreased during 9-13 weeks of
age in treated groups. The daily feed conversion was insignificantly decreased
during the period from 5-9 weeks of age of growing rabbits after either
oxytetracycline or enrofloxacin treatment, however, it was significantly
increased during the period from 9-13 and 5-13 weeks of age.