FATS IN RABBIT NUTRITION : A REVIEW*

Abstract

Effects of the inclusion of fat oil or full-fat seeds in rabbit diets are reviewed. Rabbits kits are able to ingest and to efficiently digest large quantities of milk lipids. About 40% of the milk fat consists of medium-chain fatty acids. Rabbits digest dietary lipids in a way comparable to other monogastric animals. With the exception of tallow, added fat or oil is nearly 100% digestible, especially at low levels of inclusion. The dietary inclusion of fats or full-fat soybeans is well accepted by the rabbits and does not provoke palatability problems. Growth rate of fryers is commonly not influenced by dietary fat addition but, due to increased energy density, a more favourable feed conversion efficiency is obtained. However, replacement of starch with fat, on an isoenergetic basis, increases the carcass lipid content. In lactating does, dietary fat addition leads to higher daily DE intake (+5%/1% of fat). This additional energy intake is primarily used for increased milk yield. Fat addition modifies milk composition and carcass lipids of fryers. The dietary fatty acid pattern has a regulating effect on meat fatty acid content. The major interest for the use of fats is to increase the energy concentration of fibrous diets. However, fat-added diets are only economically acceptable in intensive rabbit meat production systems to favour feed conversion efficiency. Under practical feeding conditions, fat addition is limited to 2-3% in order to maintain the durability of the pellets. Fats also show some potential to reduce thermal stress as under hot environmental temperatures, energy intake tends to be higher