article · Animal Science Journal
This study evaluated the effects of Bacillus subtilis probiotic supplementation and genetic background on growing rabbits kept in hot environmental conditions. Eighty rabbits comprising local Jabali, imported Spanish V-line, and two crossbred groups were fed diets containing zero, 200, or 400 grams of probiotic per tonne of feed. While dietary probiotic levels and genetic groups did not significantly alter final body weight or overall weight gain, purebred rabbits showed a better feed conversion ratio than crossbreds. Rabbits receiving the highest probiotic dose of 400 grams per tonne achieved significantly higher dressed carcass percentages, especially in the mid and hind parts. In addition, probiotic supplementation reduced serum cholesterol, while the higher dose increased haemoglobin, red blood cell counts, platelets, and cell-mediated immune responses.
Raising livestock in hot environments often presents physiological challenges that impair productivity and animal well-being. By assessing feed additives across purebred and crossbred lines, this work demonstrates that targeted probiotic supplementation can enhance carcass yield, support blood health, and boost immunity under heat stress without relying on synthetic growth promoters.
These findings directly inform feed manufacturers and commercial rabbit farming operations seeking to improve meat yield and animal resilience in high-temperature environments. The application involves incorporating Bacillus subtilis additives at 400 grams per tonne into compound feeds. Because the trial tested defined inclusion rates against clear health and carcass metrics, the formulation is applied research ready for immediate farm-scale piloting.
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The effect of dietary inclusion of probiotics and genetic groups on rabbit performance under hot environmental conditions was studied. A total of 80 rabbits aged 8 weeks were distributed into a completely randomized design in a 4 × 3 factorial arrangement, including four genetic groups and three concentrations of dietary probiotic (0, 200 and 400 g/t feed). The utilized probiotic contained 4 × 10<sup>9</sup> colony-forming units/g of Bacillus subtilis. Jabali local breed (J), imported Spanish V-line (V) and their crossbreds (¼J¾V and ¾J¼V) were included in the current study. Final weight and body weight gain were not significantly affected by dietary probiotic levels or genetic group. The feed conversion ratio was better for purebreds than that of crossbreds. A significant improvement in percentage of dressed carcass, mid and hind parts was recorded for rabbits fed a diet containing 400 g probiotic/t feed compared with those fed a basal diet or low probiotic level. Probiotic supplementation had a significant decrease in serum cholesterol. Rabbits given 400 g probiotic/t feed had higher hemoglobin, red blood cells and platelets. Adding 400 g probiotic/t feed to rabbit's diet significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved cell-mediated immunity compared to the other treatments 48 h post-injection.
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DOI: 10.1111/asj.12811
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