China Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 53 ›› Issue (1): 224-232.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2026.01.020

• Nutrition and Feed • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Dietary Astaxanthin on Reproductive Performance, Antioxidant Capacity of Female Rabbits and Growth of Suckling Rabbits

ZHANG Chaoping1,2(), LAI Meifei1,2, ZHANG Shunyu1,2, LI Zixu1,2, GAO Yuyang1,2, WU Yingjie1,2, LIU Ning1,2(), QIN Yinghe1,2()   

  1. 1.State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding,College of Animal Science and Technology,China Agricultural University,Beijing 100193,China
    2.National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding,College of Animal Science and Technology,China Agricultural University,Beijing 100193,China
  • Received:2025-04-18 Online:2026-01-05 Published:2025-12-26
  • Contact: LIU Ning, QIN Yinghe E-mail:15367604623@163.com;dadaliu@cau.edu.cn;qinyinghe@cau.edu.cn

Abstract:

Objective The study aimed to investigate the effects of astaxanthin (AST) on reproductive performance, antioxidant capacity of female rabbits and the growth of offspring under heat stress conditions, as well as to screen optimal dosage of AST in diet. Method A total of 240 New Zealand female rabbits with similar body weight and parity (2-3) were randomly divided into four groups: Control group (basal diet), AST5 group (basal diet+5 mg/kg AST), AST15 group (basal diet+15 mg/kg AST) and AST25 group (basal diet+25 mg/kg AST). The test started from 6 d before female rabbits mating artificially to the 35 d postpartum (weaning of suckling rabbits), which lasted for 72 d. During the experiment, the environmental temperature and relative humidity in the rabbit house were monitored and recorded to calculate the temperature-humidity index (THI). Feed intake of female rabbits at different pregnant stages, the reproductive performance, serum antioxidant capacity and the concentrations of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and prolactin (PRL), and growth performance of the offspring were determined. Result 63%(≥50%) of the experimental period was under heat stress conditions (THI≥27.8), which achieved conditions of heat stress. Compared with control group, ①Female rabbits in AST25 group had higher average feed intake at all stages (P<0.05). Conception rate and litter rate in AST25 group were significantly improved (P<0.05). The feed intake and other reproductive performance of does showed no significant difference between groups. ②Serum concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in AST15 and AST25 groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was significantly enhanced (P<0.05). Furthermore, higher activity of serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was observed in AST25 group (P<0.05). The activity of catalase (CAT) in serum showed no significant difference among the groups (P>0.05). ③Moreover, reduced serum estradiol level at 15 d of gestation (P<0.01) and enhanced serum prolactin level at 21 d postpartum (P<0.05) were observed in AST25 group. Serum progesterone levels at 15 d of gestation in the all experimental groups were significantly reduced (P<0.05). ④Additionally, the average number of kits per litter at 7 and 14 d in AST5 group, at 14 d in AST15 group, at 14, 21 and 35 d in AST25 group were all increased (P<0.05), and the litter weight in AST25 group was increased (P<0.05). The other growth performance indicators of kits showed no significant difference among the groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Under the heat stress conditions in this experiment, adding AST to the diet could improve the reproductive performance of female rabbits and the growth of their offspring by enhancing their antioxidant capacity. The appropriate amount of AST added was 25 mg/kg.

Key words: astaxanthin; rabbits; heat stress; reproductive performance; antioxidant capacity

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