Abstract

The effect of phytobiotic fodder additive based on a water-ethanol extract of Echinacea purpurea on the productivity of young rabbits, the meat qualitative characteristics were studied, and the optimal dosage of the extract in the phytobiotic fodder additive was determined. The experimental study was conducted at the animal farm of the Kemerovo State Agricultural Institute in 2018. According to the pair-analog principle, groups of young Californian rabbits, each with six animals, were formed: one reference group and five experimental groups. The animals in the experimental groups I, II, III, IV, V received orally a phytobiotic fodder additive based on a water-ethanol extract of Echinacea purpurea at the doses of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 g per animal daily in addition to the basic ration for 30 days. The best result was achieved in the experimental group II. Analysis of the slaughter qualities of the rabbits from all experimental groups indicated high meat productivity. At the same time, the obtained data revealed significant intergroup differences. For example, the slaughter yield of meat was higher by 1.2 % in the experimental group I, by 17.3 % (P > 0.05) in the experimental group II, by 12.4 % in experimental group III, by 14.6 % in the experimental group IV, and by 0.45 % in the experimental group V compared to the reference group. The maximum fat volume of 2.94 ± 0.80 % and 2.07 ± 0.40 % was observed in the rabbit meat in the experimental groups II and III, respectively, where the dose of purple Echinacea extract was 1.0 and 1.5 g per animal daily. The rabbit meat obtained from the experimental groups was described by both moisture-binding and moisture-retaining abilities higher than those of the reference group‎‎‎‎.