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Published on: July 31, 2021
Dietary L-Arginine and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Improve Growth Performance, Oxidative Status, Immunity, and
Tahani M I Al-Hazani1, Amirah S Alahmari2, Manal A Babaker3
1Biology Department, College of Science and Humanities, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 83, Al-Kharj 11940, Saudi Arabia.
Veterinary Sciences
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Supplementing rabbit diets with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnNP) and L-arginine (L-Arg) improved growth, antioxidant status, and gut health during heat stress. This nutritional strategy enhanced rabbit performance and resilience.
Area of Science:
- Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Nanotechnology in Animal Science
- Heat Stress Mitigation Strategies
Background:
- Heat stress negatively impacts rabbit growth, metabolism, and immune function.
- Nutritional interventions are crucial for mitigating heat stress consequences in livestock.
- Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnNP) and L-arginine (L-Arg) show potential for improving animal health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of dietary ZnNP and L-Arg, alone or combined, in alleviating heat stress in growing rabbits.
- To assess the impact of these supplements on productive performance, physiological parameters, and intestinal integrity.
Main Methods:
- Two hundred and eighty New Zealand White rabbits were divided into four groups: control, L-Arg, ZnNP, and combined Arg-Zn.
- Diets were supplemented with L-Arg (3 g/kg) and/or ZnNP (40 mg/kg) for a defined period.
- Growth performance, carcass traits, nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical markers, gut microbiota, and gene expression were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The combined Arg-Zn group showed significantly improved weight gain, feed conversion, carcass weight, and nutrient digestibility.
- Physiological markers indicated enhanced antioxidant capacity (T-AOC, GPx, SOD), improved immune status (IgG, IgA), and reduced oxidative stress (MDA).
- Molecular analysis revealed decreased inflammatory cytokine expression (IL-6, TNF-α) and increased expression of genes related to intestinal barrier function and nutrient transport (CLDN-1, CAT-1, MUC-2, SGLT-1).
Conclusions:
- Dietary supplementation with ZnNP and L-Arg is an effective nutritional strategy for improving growth performance in rabbits under heat stress.
- The Arg-Zn combination enhances antioxidant status, immune function, and intestinal integrity.
- This approach offers a promising method to mitigate the adverse effects of high ambient temperatures on rabbit health and productivity.
