Preliminary Evaluation of Inclusion of Oregano Extract on Growth Performance in Fattening Rabbits

Abstract

Oregano as vegetal extract has been investigated scientifically and has proven to be an effective antibiotic; it does not generate resistant strains as it happens with the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP), and is also considered an alternative to improve productive performance in livestock farms. This is why the aim of study was to evaluate the use of oregano extract on the gain of final weight, conversion and feed efficiency in rabbits, for this purpose an experiment completely randomized with 12 New Zealand rabbits divided into 3 treatment was performed; T1, was determined as control, and the base feed was 100 g of rabbit feed; T2, to 100 g of rabbit feed was added 1 ml of oregano extract and T3, 100 g of rabbit feed plus 3 ml of oregano. The research lasted 60 days, 8 which were dietary adaptation. The obtained data were evaluated by ANOVA and the statistical differences between treatments by TUKEY test, with significance level of 0,05. The results showed statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) for the variables final weight gain and feed efficiency for T1 relative to T2 and T3; for feed conversion no statistical difference (p>0.05) between treatments. For this experiment it was concluded that the addition of oregano extract showed no improvement in productive parameters of broiler rabbits.

Keywords

• alimentación
• conversión
• eficiencia
• ganancia