Abstract
The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the dietary addition of calcium anacardate as a source of phenolic compounds on the reproductive performance and blood antioxidant parameters of New Zealand White female rabbits. Twenty-seven New Zealand White female rabbits were distributed in a randomized complete block design with three treatments and nine replicates, considering one animal as the experimental unit. The treatments consisted of pelleted diets with different inclusion levels of calcium anacardate (0, 0.5, and 1.0%). The inclusion of calcium anacardate in the diets increased the concentration of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity in the blood of lactating female rabbits. Calcium anacardate at the level of 1.0% improves the feed conversion ratio during gestation and increases the phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity in the blood serum of female rabbits at 21 days of lactation.
Index terms
Oryctolagus cuniculus; gestation; lactation; natural antioxidant; phenolic compounds