Rabbits: Nutrition, Reproduction, Health

Rabbit science examines how genetics, diet, gut microbiota, and husbandry practices shape the growth, health, and reproductive output of domestic rabbits, with particular attention to how these variables translate into the composition and eating quality of rabbit meat. Because rabbit production is resource-efficient—rabbits convert plant fiber into lean protein with a relatively low environmental footprint—understanding the biological levers that improve yield and welfare has direct relevance to sustainable food systems. Researchers are actively investigating how dietary fiber profiles interact with the cecal microbiome to influence both gut health and carcass characteristics, and how reproductive performance can be optimized without compromising animal welfare. Open questions center on disentangling the relative contributions of breed, feeding regimen, and rearing conditions to meat quality traits that consumers and processors actually care about.

Works

56,934

Total citations

317,840

Keywords

Rabbit MeatQualityFactorsReproductive PerformanceDietary FiberGrowth