Effects of Dietary Supplementations of Vitamin C, Organic Selenium, Betaine, and Pomegranate Peel on Alleviating the Effect of Heat Stress on Growing Rabbits

The aim of this study was to investigate the biological activity and sustainable biorefinery development of vitamin C, organic selenium, betaine, and pomegranate peel on the performance, cecal fermentation, and antioxidant status of growing rabbits to alleviate the negative impacts of heat stress. A...

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Main Authors: Salma H. Abu Hafsa, Gerardo Centoducati, Ayman A. Hassan, Aristide Maggiolino, Mona M. M. Y. Elghandour, Abdelfattah Z. M. Salem
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-03-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/950
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author Salma H. Abu Hafsa
Gerardo Centoducati
Ayman A. Hassan
Aristide Maggiolino
Mona M. M. Y. Elghandour
Abdelfattah Z. M. Salem
author_facet Salma H. Abu Hafsa
Gerardo Centoducati
Ayman A. Hassan
Aristide Maggiolino
Mona M. M. Y. Elghandour
Abdelfattah Z. M. Salem
author_sort Salma H. Abu Hafsa
collection DOAJ
description The aim of this study was to investigate the biological activity and sustainable biorefinery development of vitamin C, organic selenium, betaine, and pomegranate peel on the performance, cecal fermentation, and antioxidant status of growing rabbits to alleviate the negative impacts of heat stress. A total of 105 male rabbits at 35 days old with an average weight of 752.55 ± 27.56 g were randomly assigned to five groups (21 rabbits in each). The experimental dietary groups included a control group fed a basal diet without additives (control group) and four treated groups, A, B, C, and D, fed a basal diet supplemented with either a 1000 mg vitamin C/kg diet, a 25 mg organic selenium/kg diet, a 1000 mg betaine/kg diet, or a 20 g pomegranate peel/kg diet, respectively. No negative group (not heat-stressed) was included in the trial. Rabbits given A, B, C, and D supplements showed a significant increase (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in growth performance, nutrient digestion, concentration of total volatile fatty acids (VFA), acetic, and propionic acids, and total bacterial count, and a significant decrease (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in NH<sub>3</sub>-N concentration, <i>Enterococcus</i>, <i>coliforms</i>, and <i>E. coli</i> counts in the cecum of rabbits. Total protein, albumin, globulin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) higher in groups supplemented with A, B, C, and D supplements compared to those in the control group. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, urea, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) lower in groups supplemented with A, B, C, and D supplements compared to those in the control group. In conclusion, the finding showed that the supplementation of vitamin C, organic selenium, betaine, and pomegranate peel played a significant role in alleviating heat stress and had a further beneficial impact on rabbit performance, cecal fermentation and microbiota, and antioxidant status. However, betaine supplementation had a superior positive effect on the nutritional and physiological profile of heat-stressed rabbits.
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spelling doaj.art-d61a7452ab9c459abcd2277606ad8ff22024-03-27T13:17:56ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-03-0114695010.3390/ani14060950Effects of Dietary Supplementations of Vitamin C, Organic Selenium, Betaine, and Pomegranate Peel on Alleviating the Effect of Heat Stress on Growing RabbitsSalma H. Abu Hafsa0Gerardo Centoducati1Ayman A. Hassan2Aristide Maggiolino3Mona M. M. Y. Elghandour4Abdelfattah Z. M. Salem5Livestock Research Department, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El-Arab, Alexandria 21934, EgyptDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, S.P. per Casamassima km 3, 70010 Valenzano, ItalyAgricultural Research Center, Department of By-Products Utilization Research, Animal Production Research Institute, Giza 12619, EgyptDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, S.P. per Casamassima km 3, 70010 Valenzano, ItalyFacultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca 50000, MexicoFacultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca 50000, MexicoThe aim of this study was to investigate the biological activity and sustainable biorefinery development of vitamin C, organic selenium, betaine, and pomegranate peel on the performance, cecal fermentation, and antioxidant status of growing rabbits to alleviate the negative impacts of heat stress. A total of 105 male rabbits at 35 days old with an average weight of 752.55 ± 27.56 g were randomly assigned to five groups (21 rabbits in each). The experimental dietary groups included a control group fed a basal diet without additives (control group) and four treated groups, A, B, C, and D, fed a basal diet supplemented with either a 1000 mg vitamin C/kg diet, a 25 mg organic selenium/kg diet, a 1000 mg betaine/kg diet, or a 20 g pomegranate peel/kg diet, respectively. No negative group (not heat-stressed) was included in the trial. Rabbits given A, B, C, and D supplements showed a significant increase (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in growth performance, nutrient digestion, concentration of total volatile fatty acids (VFA), acetic, and propionic acids, and total bacterial count, and a significant decrease (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in NH<sub>3</sub>-N concentration, <i>Enterococcus</i>, <i>coliforms</i>, and <i>E. coli</i> counts in the cecum of rabbits. Total protein, albumin, globulin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) higher in groups supplemented with A, B, C, and D supplements compared to those in the control group. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, urea, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) lower in groups supplemented with A, B, C, and D supplements compared to those in the control group. In conclusion, the finding showed that the supplementation of vitamin C, organic selenium, betaine, and pomegranate peel played a significant role in alleviating heat stress and had a further beneficial impact on rabbit performance, cecal fermentation and microbiota, and antioxidant status. However, betaine supplementation had a superior positive effect on the nutritional and physiological profile of heat-stressed rabbits.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/950rabbitsvitamin Cseleniumbetainepomegranate peelheat stress
spellingShingle Salma H. Abu Hafsa
Gerardo Centoducati
Ayman A. Hassan
Aristide Maggiolino
Mona M. M. Y. Elghandour
Abdelfattah Z. M. Salem
Effects of Dietary Supplementations of Vitamin C, Organic Selenium, Betaine, and Pomegranate Peel on Alleviating the Effect of Heat Stress on Growing Rabbits
Animals
rabbits
vitamin C
selenium
betaine
pomegranate peel
heat stress
title Effects of Dietary Supplementations of Vitamin C, Organic Selenium, Betaine, and Pomegranate Peel on Alleviating the Effect of Heat Stress on Growing Rabbits
title_full Effects of Dietary Supplementations of Vitamin C, Organic Selenium, Betaine, and Pomegranate Peel on Alleviating the Effect of Heat Stress on Growing Rabbits
title_fullStr Effects of Dietary Supplementations of Vitamin C, Organic Selenium, Betaine, and Pomegranate Peel on Alleviating the Effect of Heat Stress on Growing Rabbits
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Dietary Supplementations of Vitamin C, Organic Selenium, Betaine, and Pomegranate Peel on Alleviating the Effect of Heat Stress on Growing Rabbits
title_short Effects of Dietary Supplementations of Vitamin C, Organic Selenium, Betaine, and Pomegranate Peel on Alleviating the Effect of Heat Stress on Growing Rabbits
title_sort effects of dietary supplementations of vitamin c organic selenium betaine and pomegranate peel on alleviating the effect of heat stress on growing rabbits
topic rabbits
vitamin C
selenium
betaine
pomegranate peel
heat stress
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/6/950
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