Evaluation of the Use of Immunostimulants to Prevent Post-Weaning Stress-Related Diseases in Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Description
To evaluate the effect of using immunostimulants as a preventive measure against post-weaning stress-related diseases in young rabbits, this experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design consisting of four treatments and three replicates per treatment (three weaned young rabbits per replicate): T1 = Relative control Complex B (the day before weaning, the day of weaning, and the day after weaning) + 20 mg/kg of toltrazuril; T2 = Complex B (same) PO (oral). T3 = Complex B (as above) + 1 cc of FOS MVN once daily for 7 days prior to weaning (PO), and T4 = Complex B (as above) + 1 cc of colostrum once daily for 7 days prior to weaning (PO). No significant differences were observed in production and performance parameters (p > 0.05); blood cortisol levels were statistically different (p = 0.019), being higher for T3 and T4 (0.64 and 0.41 µg/dL, respectively) compared to the control (0.14 µg/dL). Regarding blood parameters, total immunoglobulin levels were statistically different (p < 0.01) on day 7 compared to day 0 and were higher in T1 and T2 (3.5 and 2.3 g/dL, respectively) compared to T3 (0.9 g/dL). At the same time, animals in the T1 group showed more clinical signs (abdominal distension and diarrhea) than those in the other treatment groups. The use of immunostimulants promotes a better clinical response to post-weaning stress.
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The economic analysis considers the expenses directly related to the technology in a marginal analysis; it also presents the cost-benefit ratio of using immunomodulators or immunostimulants compared to not using them. The experimental data include an assessment of the main production and performance parameters. The methodological section of the thesis outlines the characteristics of the experimental phase, the location where the activities were conducted, the selection of the sample size, the selection of litters, the schedule for carrying out these activities and observations, the laboratory and statistical analyses of the data, and the budget for the experimental process. The laboratory results allow us to establish a directly proportional relationship between blood cortisol levels and stress in young rabbits. Thus, the rabbits that were handled more frequently due to the administration of immunostimulants exhibited the highest cortisol levels.
Institutions
- Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez UreñaNacional, Santo Domingo