Current Applications and Trends in Rabbit Nutraceuticals

Abstract

To ensure the sustainability of rabbit production and protect the global rabbit industry, cost-effective and practical strategies for improving rabbit production and meat quality must be developed. Recently, rabbit farming, like other animal farming, has faced feed shortages due to the impact of climate change, high competition among livestock species, and war conditions. The continued use of conventional feed additives in rabbit diets, whether derived from plant or animal sources, has become a critical issue. Furthermore, there is a global trend toward finding natural alternatives to synthetic drugs, such as antibiotics, in rabbit farms. Finding readily available and alternative feed additives is therefore critical to protecting the rabbit industry, particularly in subtropical and Mediterranean-developing countries. Nutraceuticals positively influence several physiological and productive traits in animals, as well as enhancing their health and welfare. The present review aims to provide an overview of previous studies on the potential of using some plant and animal products as nutraceutical alternatives and feed additives in rabbit diets, separately or in combination, to act as natural growth promoters, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agents, and immunostimulants in rabbit farms. From the results, some unconventional plant and animal products, such as spirulina, garden cress, milk whey, and bee venom, can be successfully used as dietary supplements and substitutes in rabbit farms to motivate rabbit growth and reproduction, as well as enhance immunity. These products are rich in minerals, vitamins, enzymes, organic acids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. These active substances benefit the animal’s digestive tract in different ways, including activating the digestive enzymes and maintaining microbial balance, promoting vitamin synthesis. They also improve rabbit production, reproduction, and health.

Bee Products for Poultry and Rabbits: Current Challenges and Perspectives

“…Many natural substances produced by honeybees, such as propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, venom, slum gum, and pollen have unique structures and high nutritional value with a variety of medicinal qualities [28]. Despite some of these substances being considered by-products, they are sources of bioactive compounds with relevant biological effects and significant impacts on animal physiological and productive performance [4,29,30]. Several studies have found that bee products, with a high content of essential amino acids, antioxidants, active enzymes, vitamins, minerals, antibacterial, antiprotozoal, and immunostimulant substances, can improve animals' growth, meat quality, and immunological performance [3,4,[31][32][33][34] (Figure 1).…”

“…However, poultry and rabbit industries have recently experienced numerous challenges, including climate change, disease spread, and antibiotic misuse. Antibiotics have been widely used in poultry and rabbit farms for decades to increase animal productive traits [2][3][4][5]. Overuse of antibiotics as growth promoters in poultry and rabbit farms has resulted in several adverse effects, including the development of microbial resistance and transference [5][6][7], and the residues remaining in the consumed product.…”

“…Apitherapy is a subspecialty of complementary medicine that involves using Apis mellifera L. produced materials, including honey and venom, for the treatment of various diseases. Bee products not only provide essential nutrients, but also have medicinal properties [3,4] (Table 1). Thus, they can be applied in animal diets, drinking water, and by muscular injection to improve productivity, immunity, and health [3,4,8,9].…”

“…Bee products not only provide essential nutrients, but also have medicinal properties [3,4] (Table 1). Thus, they can be applied in animal diets, drinking water, and by muscular injection to improve productivity, immunity, and health [3,4,8,9]. Bee products can also be administered for better chick quality through the in ovo technique, as a recent aspect of poultry farming [10,11].…”

“…Injecting 10 µg of bee venom extract (melittin)/egg on day 18 of incubation increased the post-hatch chick's weight and enhanced immunological indicators (immunoglobulins, T cells, and B cells) [12]. Furthermore, bee products, particularly royal jelly and propolis, can promote some vitamin synthesis by providing the precursors required for this synthesis, enhancing their synthesis pathway, and improving organs generated [3,4,13]. However, bee products can be considered an excellent functional food to be added to poultry and rabbit diets, but to avoid harming animal's digestive system or poisoning, it is always advisable to be cautious and introduce new foods gradually and moderately, as well as considering the animal's age and safe doses because there are no available studies on the safe dosage limits of these substances for poultry and rabbits until now.…”