Objective: We investigated the effects of a source of selenium [inorganic or nano-selenium (nano-Se)] on female V-line rabbits with or without injection of ivermectin (IVM).
Material and Methods: Eighty four rabbits (12 weeks old) were randomly divided into 4 groups of 21 rabbits each with the basal diet supplemented as per the following treatments: G1 (control): inorganic Se at 0.3 mg/kg diet with no IVM injection; G2: inorganic Se with IVM injection; G3: nano-Se with no IVM injection; and G4: nano-Se with IVM injection. IVM was injected subcutane¬ously at 0.2 mg/kg body weight starting when the does were 14 weeks old and repeated weekly for five consecutive weeks.
Results: Replacement of inorganic Se with nano-Se improved body weight and total body weight gain, total feed intake, average feed conversion ratio, and reproductive performance (age at puberty, number of service/conception, conception rate, number of kits/litter, and lit¬ter weight at birth). Similarly, sexual activity of does, serum estrogen levels, and serum levels of antioxidants (glutathione reduced, catalase, and malondialdehyde) increased in nano-Se-sup¬plemented groups. Ivermectin treatment in inorganic Se-supplemented groups was detrimental to growth and reproductive performance, while these parameters improved in IVM-treated and nano-Se-supplemented groups.
Conclusion: Nano-Se mitigated the negative effects of IVM treatment on the growth and repro¬ductive performance of does.
Key words: Growth; ivermectin; nano-selenium; rabbit; reproduction
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