RECENT TECHNIQUES FOR AMELIORATION THE EFFECT OF HEAT STRESS CONDITIONS ON MALE RABBITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Biol. Appl. Dept., Radioisotopes Appl. Div., Nuclear Res. Cent., Atomic Energy Authority, P.O. 13759, Egypt.

2 Anim. Prod. Dept., Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt

Abstract

The present work was conducted to study the effect of selenium (Se) plus vitamin E
(Vitam E) and AD3E vitamins (Vitam AD3E) mixture as two alleviation techniques on heat stressed
rabbits during hot summer season of Egypt. In total 45 New Zealand white (NZW) male rabbits were
used in this research. The animals were divided into three equal groups. The 1st group was kept
without any treatment and served as control group. The 2nd and 3rd groups were supplemented daily
1m/l in drinking water with Se plus E and AD3E vitamins mixture, respectively. The experiment lasted
7 weeks during hot summer season (from third week of July to the end of August, 2017). Results
showed that adding both of Se plus vitamin E and AD3E vitamins mixture in drinking water decreased
(P≤0.001) rectal, skin, ear temperature and respiration rate compared with the control group. Adding
both of Se plus vitamin E and AD3E vitamins mixture in drinking water improved (P≤0.05) final live
body weight and feed intake and decreased (P≤0.001) daily water intake in comparative with control
group. Adding both of Se plus vitamin E and AD3E vitamins mixture in drinking water increased
(P≤0.01) serum total protein, albumin and globulin concentrations and decreased (P≤0.05) urea-N and
creatinine concentrations in male rabbits. Serum cortisol level was (P≤0.001) lower while
Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxin (T4) hormonal levels were (P≤0.001) higher in both two treatment
groups compared with control. Normal sperm, volume, count, motility and live sperm increased
(P≤0.001) while dead sperm was decreased (P≤0.001) in the two treatment groups compared with
control group. It can be concluded that the two techniques can alleviate the negative effects of heat
stress on rabbits under hot summer season in Egypt

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