Valuation of Synedrella nodiflora leaves in rabbit feeding as feed supplement: impact on reproductive performance

young <strong>rabbit</strong>s from lots 3 and the one <strong>of</strong> young <strong>rabbit</strong>
from the control lot were significantly higher than
that recorded at the same age <strong>in</strong> lots 1 and 2
(P˂0.001). The live weights <strong>of</strong> the <strong>rabbit</strong>s from the
control lot and lot 3 are comparable (rang<strong>in</strong>g from
476 g to 511 g), but higher than that recorded <strong>in</strong> the
<strong>rabbit</strong>s from lot 1 and lot 2, which weighed
respectively 389 g and 460 g at 35 days <strong>of</strong> age
(P˂0.001, Table 1).
Fig. 2. <strong>Synedrella</strong><strong>nodiflora</strong>.
This <strong>impact</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Synedrella</strong><strong>nodiflora</strong> <strong>leaves</strong> used <strong>as</strong>
<strong>feed</strong> <strong>supplement</strong> for <strong>rabbit</strong>s on the litter size and
young <strong>rabbit</strong> growth could be related to the chemical
composition <strong>of</strong> the <strong>leaves</strong> <strong>of</strong> S. <strong>nodiflora</strong>, and more
specifically its hormonal content. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to
Hidayat (2001b), S. <strong>nodiflora</strong> conta<strong>in</strong>s estradiol and
haageanolide. Furthermore, leaf conta<strong>in</strong>s alkane,
sterol and triterpenes. The study <strong>of</strong> Hidayat (2001b)
on the properties <strong>of</strong> S. <strong>nodiflora</strong> reveals also that
upon steam distillation <strong>of</strong> the <strong>leaves</strong>,
<strong>Synedrella</strong><strong>nodiflora</strong> yields a yellow colored essential
oil (0.02%), with the terpenes'beta'-caryophyllene,
'beta'-farnesene, germacrene-D and 'beta'-cubebene
<strong>as</strong> major components. From the ethanol extract <strong>of</strong> the
whole plant, the triterpenoidsapon<strong>in</strong>nodifloside A
(oleanolic acid 3-O-'beta'-D-xylopyranosyl-'beta'-Dglucopyranuronosyl
methylate) w<strong>as</strong> isolated, together
with the triterpenoidoleanic acid-3-O-'beta'-Dglucopyranuronosyl
methylate, and the steroids
'beta'-sitosterol, stigm<strong>as</strong>terol, stigm<strong>as</strong>terol-3-O-'beta'-
D-glycoside and ros<strong>as</strong>terol.
<strong>Synedrella</strong><strong>nodiflora</strong> also conta<strong>in</strong>s a high content <strong>of</strong>
estradiol. Moreover, s<strong>in</strong>ce 1978,Mannan and Ahmad
(1978) have cited <strong>Synedrella</strong><strong>nodiflora</strong> <strong>in</strong> the 4 ma<strong>in</strong>
sex hormones plants (<strong>Synedrella</strong>Nodiflora,
Heliotropicum<strong>in</strong>dicum, Belvachal and
Phyllanthusneruri) <strong>of</strong> Bangladeshi after his
prelim<strong>in</strong>ary study on sex hormones <strong>of</strong> medical
importance <strong>in</strong> Bangladeshi plants.
The average total born per litter <strong>in</strong> the different lots
are comparable to those reported by Kpodekonet al.
(2004), Akpoet al. (2008), Kout<strong>in</strong>hou<strong>in</strong>et al.
(2009b), which recorded an average <strong>of</strong> 5.7 to 6.6 total
born ; and total weaned young <strong>rabbit</strong> ranged from 4.8
to 5.7 per birth <strong>in</strong> Common <strong>rabbit</strong>s <strong>in</strong> Ben<strong>in</strong>.
However, those performances found here<strong>in</strong> are lower
than those reported by Mahmoud (2008) which
recorded an average <strong>of</strong> 8young <strong>rabbit</strong>s for litter size at
birth and 6 young <strong>rabbit</strong> for litter size at wean<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>
<strong>rabbit</strong> <strong>of</strong>Néo-Zelandais Blanc, Californien and Géant
Blanc breeds reared <strong>in</strong>a healthier farm<strong>in</strong>g system <strong>in</strong>
Canada. This difference could be due not only to the
genotype, but can also be l<strong>in</strong>ked to the best breed<strong>in</strong>g
conditions and climate factors that significantly affect
the ability and frequency <strong>of</strong> females ovulate <strong>as</strong> w<strong>as</strong>
reported Hulotet al. (1981) and (Ouyed, 2006).
The variation found <strong>in</strong> the live weight <strong>of</strong> the young
<strong>rabbit</strong> at birth, at 25 days old and at 35 days old
accord<strong>in</strong>g the lot <strong>in</strong> the current study could be due to
the difference <strong>in</strong> the litter size with the low litter size
results <strong>in</strong> high live weight at birth, at 25 days old and
at 35 days old. This f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g is consistent with the
reports <strong>of</strong> Ouyedet al.(2007) who <strong>in</strong>dicate a negative
relationship between litter size and growth
performance <strong>in</strong> <strong>rabbit</strong>. The live weight <strong>in</strong>cre<strong>as</strong>es when
the litter size decre<strong>as</strong>es. The gradual <strong>in</strong>cre<strong>as</strong>e <strong>in</strong> body
weight <strong>of</strong> young <strong>rabbit</strong>s with age found here<strong>in</strong> is
consistent with the results <strong>of</strong> Ouyedet al. (2010) <strong>in</strong>
<strong>rabbit</strong><strong>in</strong> <strong>rabbit</strong> <strong>of</strong> Neo-Zelandais Blanc, Californien
and Geant Blanc breeds reared <strong>in</strong> a healthier farm<strong>in</strong>g
system <strong>in</strong> Canada.
Effect <strong>of</strong> <strong>Synedrella</strong><strong>nodiflora</strong> <strong>leaves</strong> used <strong>as</strong> <strong>feed</strong>
<strong>supplement</strong> <strong>in</strong> the diet <strong>of</strong> <strong>rabbit</strong>s on the fertility, birth
rate, stillbirth rate and birth-wean<strong>in</strong>g mortality rate
Benoît et al.
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