Effects of Dietary Inclusion of <i>Ocimum gratissimum</i> and <i>Vernonia amygdalina</i> Leaf Meals on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Blood Profile, and Gastrointestinal Parasites in Weaner Rabbits.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of <i>Ocimum gratissimum</i> and <i>Vernonia amygdalina</i> supplementation on the growth performance, feed intake, blood profile, excretion of helminth eggs, and coccidial oocysts in growing rabbits through two experiments. Eighty-four New Zealand White rabbits aged 40-50 days and averaging 790.04 ± 60.70 g, divided into 7 treatments of 12, were used in the first experiment for 56 days. Ninety rabbits aged 40-45 days and weighing 600 ± 50 g, divided into 10 treatments of 9 young rabbits, were used in the second experiment for 28 days. OG and VA leaves were harvested, dried, milled, and incorporated into the diet at 0% (control), 5%, 10%, and 15%. The treatments in Experiment 1 included a control treatment, as well as OG and VA administered at inclusion levels of 5%, 10%, and 15% each. Measured parameters included feed intake, feed conversion ratio, blood hematological and biochemical indices, and carcass characteristics. The treatments in Experiment 2 comprised OG-, OG supplemented at 5%, 10%, and 15%, and OG+ and VA-, VA supplemented at 5%, 10%, and 15%, and VA+'. Parameters measured included fecal excretion of oocytes and helminth eggs. A one-factor analysis of variance followed by linear and quadratic regression was performed on the production data, and then a generalized linear model was carried out on the egg and oocyst excretion data using the statistical software R. Significance was considered at <i>p</i> < 0.05. The results demonstrated that dietary inclusion of OG and VA leaf meals significantly improved feed intake, feed conversion ratio, average weight gain, and carcass yield (<i>p</i> < 0.05) compared to the control. In contrast, the excretion of helminth eggs and fecal coccidial oocysts was significantly reduced (<i>p</i> < 0.001), with an improvement in hematocrit levels (<i>p</i> < 0.05) at 15% supplementation. These findings suggest that incorporating OG and VA leaves at 15% in rabbit diets can enhance growth performance and effectively reduce gastrointestinal parasite loads.