Effects of Dietary Bioactive Lipid Compounds of Acacia nilotica Bark on Productive Performance, Antioxidant Status, and Antimicrobial Activities of Growing Rabbits under Hot Climatic Conditions

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Feeding strategies to increase production efficiency using novel feed additives are necessary for sustainable rabbit production. This study aims to use Acacia nilotica bark bioactive lipid compounds (ANBBLCs) as novel feed additives in the growing rabbit diet for sustainable production and to improve antioxidant status and antibacterial activity during hot climatic conditions. ANBBLCs up to 150 mg/kg can be used as an efficient new feed additive to increase growth performance, carcass criteria, antioxidant status, as well as the antibacterial activity of growing rabbits under hot climatic conditions. ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of dietary Acacia nilotica bark bioactive lipid compounds (ANBBLCs) as novel feed additives on the growth performance, carcass criteria, antioxidants, and antimicrobial activities of growing male rabbits. A total of 100 California male weanling rabbits aged 35 days were divided into four nutritional treatments, each of which contained ANBBLCs at concentrations of 0 (control group), 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg diet (n = 25 per treatment, each replication consisting of one animal). The average body weight of the animals was 613 ± 14 g. The experiments lasted for 56 days. Dietary ANBBLC levels linearly improved (p < 0.05) the body weight, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of rabbits. Furthermore, with increasing concentrations of ANBBLCs, the total antioxidant capacity of blood and liver tissue was linearly (p < 0.05) enhanced. Lactobacillus increased and Staphylococcus decreased (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control group when ANBBLC levels were added to the diets of rabbits. Rabbit diets supplemented with ANBBLCs increased dressing percentages and decreased abdominal fat. This study shows that ANBBLCs can be used as a feed additive to enhance the growth performance, carcass criteria, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties of growing rabbits.