The role of Bio-C Plus in reducing the detrimental impacts of heat stress on the production and reproduction of pregnant rabbits and their young from birth to weaning.

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate the detrimental impacts of heat stress and Bio-C Plus, an innovative technique to mitigate summertime heat stress, on the production and reproduction of pregnant rabbits and the growth of their offspring from birth to weaning. In two tests, a total of sixty adult, virgin New Zealand rabbits were employed in the current investigation. The first experiment was completed on twenty female pregnant rabbits in the winter season. Another experiment was conducted on forty rabbits, which was approved during the sweltering heat. The animals were split into two groups for the summer trial, with twenty individuals each. The first was kept in an additive-free environment, and the second added 1 g of Bio-C plus to every liter of drinking water for the doe rabbits. The findings demonstrated that pregnant rabbits subjected to extreme heat stress during the hot summer months experienced a considerable loss in body weight and feed intake and a considerable drop in conception rate. The summer heat stress has a detrimental effect on the litter weight and size of pregnant rabbits both at birth and at weaning. When Bio-C is added to drinking water, the effects of this stress are lessened.