Influence of probiotic supplementation on growth, health and gut characteristics in growing rabbits

This trial examined the influences of dietary supplementation with a combination of Lactobacillus plantarum (15 × 10⁹ CFU/kg) and Bacillus subtilis (200 × 10⁸ CFU/kg) on growth performance, carcase characters, blood profile, nutrient digestibility, caecal microbiota, intestinal histomorphology and IL-6 Immunohistochemistry in V-line rabbits. Three groups of 60 male rabbits, all five weeks old, were randomly assigned to receive either 0.25 g/kg or 0.50 g/kg of the probiotic mix, respectively, and a control group (T1) that did not receive any probiotics. The trial went on for eight weeks. Body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and nutrient digestibility were all markedly enhanced by probiotic supplementation; T3 showed the strongest effects. While fat deposition declined in probiotic-treated groups, carcase attributes such as dressing percentage and organ weights also improved. Enhanced lipid and thyroid hormone profiles, decreased liver enzyme activity, and increased red and white blood cell counts were all found in the haematological and biochemical profiles. In terms of immunology, T3 rabbits had noticeably greater amounts of IgG, IgM and IgA (p < .05). The results of the caecal microbial analysis showed lower populations of Salmonella and E. coli and higher counts of Lactobacillus (p < .05). In the intestines of T2 and T3 rabbits, histological evaluations showed increased villus height, goblet cell count and epithelial thickness, indicating improved mucosal immunity and gut health. These results highlight the importance of integrative metrics in assessing probiotic efficacy and help to validate the hypothesis that probiotic supplementation improves gut function, enhancing immune readiness, metabolic efficiency and general health in rabbits.