EFFECT OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF LAURUS NOBILIS LEAVES MEAL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS TRAITS AND BLOOD ANTIOXIDANT STATUS OF GROWING NZW RABBITS

: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of dietary supplementation of bay laurel ( Laurus nobilis L.) leaves meal (LNL) on growth performance, carcass traits, blood constituents, hematology and plasma antioxidant status of New Zealand White rabbits (NZW). Weaned New Zealand White rabbits 5 weeks old (n = 40, mean body weight 648 g) were randomly selected and classified to four dietary groups. The Control group was fed a basal diet without (LNL); the experimental groups received the basal diet with 1, 2 and 4 g LNL meal/kg diet (Groups LN1g, LN2g and LN4g, respectively). The experimental period lasted for 8 weeks. Results indicated that group LN4g rabbits recorded significantly the highest body weight at 9,11 and 13 weeks of age followed by LN2g. Also, LN4g recorded significantly the best feed conversion ratio followed by LN2g in comparison with the control group. There were no significant differences due to LNL supplementation in carcass characteristics, blood hematology, blood biochemistry and plasma antioxidant status. However, LNL supplementation numerically reduced abdominal fat, total plasma cholesterol (T.Ch), triglycerides (TG) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol compared to control, while, increased total protein, globulin and HDL cholesterol and the differences were not significant. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), glutathione peroxidase activity (GPx) and catalase enzyme were not significantly affected by LNL supplementation. Generally, the results of the study revealed that bay laurel leaves were useful as a natural supplementation to promote growth of rabbits, with 4g LNL/kg diet being the best and could reduce the negative effects of summer conditions in rabbits.