الفهرس 
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Abstract
Objectives:the aim of the study was to investigate the effect of rabbits early weaning at 21 d of age and response of supplementing the early weaned kits at 21 d of age with a mixture of mentha and cumin extracts with cow milk (MCM) for 6 days on the growth performance, blood plasma constituents, digestive disorders, carcass traits and meat quality, compared with rabbits weaned at 21 and 27 d without any supplementation of different four growing rabbits’ breeds at 70 d of age. Mathods:A total of 288 weaned rabbits were used from four breeds (New Zealand White, California,Chinchilla and Rex). Rabbits were divided into three treated groups, each group containing 96 rabbits. The 1st group was kits weaned at 27 day (G27), the 2nd group at 21 day (G21) and the 3rd group at 21 day (GS21) and supplemented for six days with a fresh mixture of MCM. Results:There was a tendency for increasing rabbits live body weight with animals age advanced in all groups. However, such effects were more pronounced with supplementing rabbits weaned at 21 d of age with the tested MCM mixture for 6 days. The MCM mixture improved the 21d weaned rabbits’ growth performance, did not affect the blood biochemical fractions, caused lower digestive disorders and improved some carcass traits. At 27 d of age, the Rex rabbits breed showed the highest daily weight gain values, but also the lowest percentage of improvement in the daily body weight gain as a result of supplementation, compared with other breeds within the same rearing system. While, the California kits supplemented with MCM mixture showed the highest percentage of improvement in the daily body weight gain, higher than the California kits weaned at 27 d of age.Conclusion:The economical point of view, supplementing 21d weaned rabbits with the MCM mixture showed significantly lower feed coast/kg gain, higher performance index and economic efficiency, compared with rabbits weaned at 27d and 21d without supplementation. Generally, as a result of rearing 21d weaned rabbits with the MCM mixture, rabbits reached the slaughter weight about 6 days earlier than rabbits weaned at 27d. Therefore, the MCM mixture and the rearing system used in the present study could be considered as a milk formula specifically designed to meet the kit’s requirements, and a more expeditions method for delivering the artificial milk to kits.