Investigating the Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Eucalyptus Camaldulensis Essential Oil on Haemato-Biochemical Indices, Immune Response and Oxidative Stress of Weaned Rabbits

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of Eucalyptus camaldulensis essential oil on haemato-biochemical indices, immune response and oxidative stress of weaned rabbits. Sixty healthy weaned cross bred male rabbits (4 weeks of age) with initial body weight of 460.1 ± 0.25 g were grouped based on their body weight into four treatments containing treatment 1 (T1) basal diet with no Eucalyptus camaldulensis oil (ECO), T2, T3 and T4 were fed basal diet with 200 mg, 400 mg and 600 mg/kg respectively in a completely randomized design. Feed and clean water was supplied ad libitum throughout the experiment which lasted for 56 days. All haematological parameters (pack cell volume, red blood cell, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentrations, white blood cells and its differentials) were higher (P˂0.05) in T2, T3 and T4 relative to T1. Total protein, albumin, globulin, albumin/globulin ratio, cholesterol, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase and alanine phosphatase values were greater in ECO supplemented diets whereas urea nitrogen, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and bicarbonate were influenced by the treatments. However, all values were within the optimal range for healthy rabbits. Immunoglobulins, melanodialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and total antioxidant capacity were higher (P˂0.05) in T2, T3 and T4 than in other diet. Result revealed that ECO can be supplemented up to 600 mg/kg without negatively affecting the performance and health status of rabbits.