Probiotics in Rabbit Farming: Growth Performance, Health Status, and Meat Quality

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Probiotics are microorganisms that can interact with the host and with the other microbiota present in the gastrointestinal tract of the host. Rabbits’ digestive characteristics are based on highly specialised colonies of intestinal microorganisms, which makes them vulnerable to metabolic disorders. Probiotics can balance gut microbiota and have several positive effects on the health status of the animal, leading also to the increase of the growth performance and meat quality. ABSTRACT: The rabbit’s complex microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) plays a critical role in feed digestion, in vitamin production, in fermentative activity with production of volatile fatty acids, and stimulation of immune response, as well as in the infection defence against pathogens and countering environmental stresses. To prevent digestive disorders of this fragile ecosystem, rabbit breeders adopt suitable diets supplemented with additives such as probiotics. Probiotics can interact with the host and with the other microflora leading to an increased health status. A review on the effects of probiotics on rabbit growth performance, health status, and meat quality was conducted to reduce the incidence of digestive diseases and enhance productive performance. Some authors observed that the supplementation of probiotics to the diet improved feed conversion ratio and growth and digestion coefficients, while other authors reported a lack of effect on the live performance. Benefits derived from the use of probiotics were observed on the mortality and the morbidity. The studies performed, to evaluate the effects of probiotic supplementation in diets on the immune response, showed variations in the results. Some authors reported no significant effect on haematological parameters, such as total protein, immunoglobulins, and IgG, while others observed a significant increase or decrease of the same parameters. Most of the research reported significant modifications of intestinal morphology and positive effects on the GIT microbiota, supporting the host’s natural defences. Regarding the carcass and meat quality, the studies reported only partial and opposing results.