Effect of Drinking Water Supplementation with Phyto-Additives (Horseradish, Dog-Rose, French Tamarisk And Grapes) on Body Mass in Young Rabbits

Abstract

In order to carry out the experiment, we made 5 hybrid rabbit groups (each one consisted of 5 individuals), homogenous in terms of age and body development, bred in cages of wire gauze. The control group was offered simple drinking water, and the other groups were offered drinking water supplemented with extracts of horseradish, dog-rose, French tamarisk and grape seeds. In each cage, we placed a stainless steel feeder for the administration of granulated forage and a plastic water supplier (300 ml capacity). During the experiment, we determined the granulated forage intake (150 g/individual/day) and the weekly body mass (between 35-105 days). At the end of the experiment, the biggest mean body mass was observed in the young rabbits that used to drink water with horseradish extract (3172±377 g), followed by those with French tamarisk (3046±162 g), dog-rose (2949±366 g) and finally by the rabbits that drank grape extract (2888±250 g). Along the 10 experimental weeks, the control group recorded significant differences (p<0.05) and distinctly significant (p<0.01) inferior to the experimental groups which were offered extracts of dog-rose, French tamarisk, horseradish and grapes.