The impact of treatment with bee pollen (BP) on the productive performance and some hematological and physiological traits of rabbit bucks were studied under hot climatic conditions prevalent in Assiut during the summer season. A total number of 30 rabbit bucks (15 V-line & 15 Moshtohor line); 14 weeks old were divided into three equal experimental groups. The bucks of 1st group were fed on a commercial basal ration and served as control, while those in the 2nd and 3rd groups were fed on the same ration in addition to daily oral administration with 250 and 500mg BP/buck, respectively in gelatin capsulated form allover experimental period.
The obtained results revealed significant rabbit line differences in total feed intake (TFI), RBCs (106), Total protein (TP), glucose (mg/dl), Total lipids (TL), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Immunoglobulin G (IgG), Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Tri-iodothyronine (T3) hormone concentration. While, the differences were insignificant in the body weight (BW), weight gain (WG), hemoglobin (Hg), Hematocrit (HTC), Cholesterol (g/dl), Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (Testos) and Luteinizing hormone (LH) hormone concentrations. The total feed intake of bucks administered with 250 or 500mg BP/buck decreased significantly (P0.01) by 4.48 and 8.50%, while the means of BW, WG and performance index (PI) increased significantly (P0.01) than those of the control. The means of Hg, HTC, RBCs (106) and Lymphocytes (%) of the bucks treated with BP increased significantly (P0.01) than those of the control. The means of TP, Albumin, Globulin and glucose levels as well as TAC, IgG, IgM of the treated bucks significantly (P0.01) increased, whereas the levels of cholesterol, TL, AST and ALT were significantly (P0.01) decreased. In the treated bucks, the concentrations of testosterone, FSH, and LH hormones improved significantly (P<0.01) than those of the control group.
Conclusively, it could be concluded that treating rabbit bucks raised under hot climatic conditions with both of 250 and 500 BP/ buck improved significantly the final body weight, total feed intake, hematological variables, immunological responses and hormonal estimates.