Milk thistle seeds and rosemary leaves as rabbit growth promoters

The trial aimed to study milk thistle seeds (MTS) and rosemary leaves (RL) as natural growth promoters for rabbits during 28-91 days of age. A total of 100 weaned rabbits were distributed into 5 groups (20 rabbits/group) fed the same basal diet. The 1st group (control) was unsupplemented, the 2nd and 3rd groups were supplemented with MTS at 5 and 10 g/kg, while the 4th and 5th groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with RL at 5 and 10 g/kg, respectively. MTS at 10g/kg significantly increased growth rate compared with the same dose of RL. In comparison to the control both MTS and RL5 were found to significantly increase growth rate, while MTS at both levels of supplementation resulted in a significant increase of feed intake. All the supplemented groups had a better feed conversion ratio than the control, with the best values obtained in the MTS10 and RL5 groups. Digestibility of crude protein, organic and dry matter of the MTS10 and RL5 groups exceeded those in the other groups. In relation to the control MTS and RL significantly increased red blood cell counts (RBCs), while RL also increased PCV, Hgb and MCHC. Lymphocyte counts were significantly increased at 5g/kg of both supplements compared to the control and the RL10 groups. There were significant decreases in the ALT and ALT/AST ratios in the supplemented groups compared to the control, while total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC) was higher in the supplemented groups. The total and LDL cholesterol levels were the lowest in the RL10 group. The MTS10 group had a higher dressing percentage compared with the RL10 and control groups. In turn, the MTS10 group showed moderate lymphoid follicle activation in the spleen and an increase in the absorption area of the ileum. High levels of RL resulted in low counts of spermatogenic cells.