Proenofos effects on rabbit performance and their amelioration by using natural clay minerals

Abstract

Eighty New Zealand White male rabbits of 35 days of age, were used in the present study. The rabbits were randomly allotted to 8 groups with 10 animals in each. Four groups were fed diets contaminated with O, 0.658, 1.315, 2.630 mg proenofos/kg diet. The other four groups fed the same diets but supplemented with 5% natural clay (80% betonite). Rabbits fed with diet contaminated with proenofos (an organophosphorus insecticide) decreased feed intake, final live body weight (-22% for the highest level), daily gain, heamoglobin, serum total protein, albumin, SGPT and cholinesterase while mortality rate, SGOT, urea-N and creatinine increased. Feed conversion impaired with increasing pesticide level in rabbit diets. Proenofos residues in liver (3 to 7 ppm), kidney and muscle (0.4 to 0.7 ppm) significantly (P<0.001) increased with increasing pesticide level in rabbit diets. Proenofos residue in liver and kidney tissues and muscle decreased with 54.8, 50.3 and 40.0%, respectively, with clay supplementation in rabbit diets. Final live body weight, daily gain, serum albumin, and cholinesterase significantly increased by-the clay supplementation in pesticide contaminated diets, while blood urea-N significantly decreased. Heamoglobin, serum total protein, globulin, creatinine, transaminases (SGOT and SGPT) and carcass and non­carcass components were insignificantly affected by the interaction between proenofos contamination and clay addition. Supplemented natural clay in rabbit diets contaminated with proenofos decreased mortality rate (3.3% vs 16.7%; P=0.097) Feed conversion was improved with clay supplementation in contaminated rabbit diets.