The effect of probiotic em4® in weaned rabbit new zealand white’s drinking water on total leukocyte, differential leukocytes, total erythrocytes and haemoglobin levels

The weaning phase of rabbit (ages 8-12 weeks) have a shift source of nutrition from milk to commercial feed, thereby increasing the rabbit mortality rate up to 50%. Therefore, weaned rabbit’s digestive tract needs adaptation and feed additive are needed to help the adaptation process, which can be used are probiotics. Probiotics that can be used is EM4® which contains the bacteria Lactobacillus casei, Rhodopseudomonas palustris and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The aim of the research is to acknowledge the effect of EM4® probiotics in weaned rabbit’s drink towards its haematological status, especially the total leukocytes and differential leuko-cytes. 20 rabbits are divided in 4 groups, each group has 5 rabbits. Group 1 (K-) as a control, group 2 (P1) were given 1 ml of EM4® probiotics: 1 L aquadest, group 3 (P2) were given 1.5 ml of EM4® probiotics: 1 L aquadest, and group 4 (P3) were given 2 ml of EM4® probiotics:1 Laquadest. The weaned rabbit were treated for 3 weeks. The blood samples were collected from lateral saphenous vein and was immediately inserted in a 0.5 ml EDTA’s vacutainer tube for haematology examination and will be analyzed using an auto haematology analyzer Horiba ABX (2005) Micros 60. Data will be analyzed statistically using One Way ANOVA with P<0.05 then continued by Tukey’s test.The result showed that EM4® probiotics in weaned rabbit’s drink had significant effect (P<0.05) on total leukocytes and differential leukocytes but didn’t have significant effect on the erythrocytes and haemoglobin level. EM4®probiotics can increase total leukocytes and neutrophils,can stabilize the absolute lymphocyte’s and monocyte’s concentration, and also increase erythrocytes and haemoglobin levels.