EFFECT OF VITAMINS SUPPLEMENT LEVEL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND MEAT QUALITY IN GROWING RABBITS

A trial was conducted to determine the effect of vitamins supplement levels on growing rabbits. The experiment was carried out in Intensive Rabbit Production Unit; belong to Agricultural Studies and Consult Center; Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University. Sixty weaned male New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits, aged four weeks of age. were randomly distributed into three comparable groups of 20 kids, The animals housed in cages provided with continued feeder and automatic waterers facilities during the experimental period, which lasted for 6 weeks. Treatments included three levies of vitamins supplement in rabbit rations. Control group supplemented with 100% of vitamins requirement for rabbit (Ministerial Decree, 1996). No 1498), while treatment I and treatment II were supplemented 150 and 200 % of vitamins requirement for rabbit respectively .Growth was assessed by measuring body weight gain (BWG). At 10 weeks of age ten animals from each group were slaughtered for carcass evaluation. Results showed that kids in treatment (II) and (I) were significantly (P 0. 05) heavier in body weight than control group. Average daily gains during the study were 30.95 ± 1.23, 33.33 ± 1.23 and 37.02 ± 1.23 gm for control groups, treatments I and II respectively. Supplementation with 150 and 200 % of vitamins requirement of rabbits improved the dressing percentage by 3.43 and 5.65 % respectively. However, the hind part percentage, increased by 4.6% 1 0.66 % as compared with the control group. Meat protein increased (P 0.05) in treatment II and I. However ether extract decreased (P 0.01) in treatment II and I as compared with control group. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TSARS) levels of stored meat was significantly (P 0.01) lower in the treatment II and I, as compared with control group .Rabbits in treatments II and I significantly (P 0.01) maintained the higher desirable polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) content of the stored meat. Blood plasma cholesterol decreased with treatments II and I as compared with control group. Treatments II and I increased blood plasma total protein and globulin and decreased Plasma glucose as compared with control group. It is concluded that vitamins supplementation successfully ameliorated the quality traits of meat produced in terms of improved oxidative stability and the introduce of a highly nutritional food (rabbit meat).