Implication of Aqueous Extract of Origanum majorana and/or Vitex agnus-castus Mitigates Consequences of Thermal Stress on Productive and Reproductive Traits of Rabbit Does

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the roles played by two common herbs in mitigating the adverse effects of thermal stress and enhancing the productivity of rabbit does. Thirty-two Californian rabbit does were equally allotted into four groups. Group 1 (C) served as control, given the basal diet without oral supplement; group 2 (OM) animals were given aqueous extract of Origanum majorana; group 3 (VAL) were given extract of Vitex Agnus-Castus, and group 4 (OM+VAL) were given the combination of both herbal extracts. All treated does received the extract for 11 days before insemination. Blood samples for plasma were collected at the end of the treatment from 3 does within the treatment. Results exhibited increases of estradiol, progesterone, FSH, and LH, while insulin decreased in supplemented doses as compared with the control. All productive traits (i.e., kindling rate, litter size and weight at birth and weaning, survival at birth and weaning, and milk yield) expressed higher (P<0.05) values in treated does than in control does. Total protein, albumin, IgG, IgM, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and HDL were higher (P<0.05) in treated than in control does. Contrariwise, levels of LDL, TG, TC, MDA, and ALT were lower (P<0.05) in the treated than in the control. The treatment did not alter total globulin levels or AST activity. In conclusion, inclusion of herbal (i.e., Origanum majorana and Vitex Agnus-Castus) extracts in the diet of rabbits living in hot climates would not only protect the animals from the adverse thermal burden, but it would also maintain and even enhance their survival and productivity.