10.5281/zenodo.999562
https://zenodo.org/records/999562
oai:zenodo.org:999562
Fardos A.M. Hassan
Fardos A.M. Hassan
Animal Wealth Development Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, 44511, Egypt
Rania Mahmoud
Rania Mahmoud
Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, 44511, Egypt
Iman E. El-Araby
Iman E. El-Araby
Animal Wealth Development Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, 44511, Egypt
Growth Performance, Serum Biochemical, Economic Evaluation and IL6 Gene Expression in Growing Rabbits Fed Diets Supplemented with Zinc Nanoparticles
Zenodo
2017
Nano-ZnO
Performance
Serum indices
Hepatic zinc
IL6
Costs
2017-09-29
10.5281/zenodo.999561
https://zenodo.org/communities/zvj
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Zinc nanoparticles showed a great potential as mineral feed supplements in animals than the conventional sources. However, this potential has not been applied in rabbit nutrition. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of dietary nano-zinc oxide on the growth performance, serum biochemical, economic parameters and gene expression of interleukin-6 in growing rabbits. A total of 120 male, five-week-old New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were randomly distributed into four equal groups. The control group (Z0) was fed on a basal diet with zinc free premix; the other three experimental groups received the basal diet supplemented with 60 mg zinc oxide/kg diet (Z1), 60 mg nano-zinc oxide/kg diet (Z2) and 30 mg nano-zinc oxide/kg diet (Z3), respectively. The results revealed that rabbits in the groups Z2 and Z3 had higher body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, serum total protein, globulin, IgG and SOD when compared with those of groups Z0 and Z1 (P<0.001). In addition, growth hormone level was higher in Z3 group than in the other groups, whereas no significant differences were recorded among the treated groups in respect to serum TSH concentration (P>0.05). Hepatic and serum zinc contents were high in Z2 and Z3 groups, but the copper contents were decreased. Rabbits of group Z3 yielded the highest gross margin with the lowest expenses to produce 1 kg of live weight compared with the others. The production of IL6 in spleen was increased in Z3 group than that in the other groups. Thus, it can be concluded that nano-zinc oxide at a concentration of 30 mg/kg diet may be used instead of the traditional zinc sources in rabbit diets.