Future challenges in Rabbit Nutrition

Dear Colleagues,

Rabbit breeding, although a small sector of animal husbandry, is widespread in many areas of the world as rabbits are used both for food (meat) and nonfood (fur) purposes. Moreover, rabbits are also bred as companion animals, which represents a market niche for rabbit breeders.

The rabbit production chain is facing various problems, mainly concerning animal health and product quality. Gastrointestinal disorders and epizootic rabbit enteropathy are major health problems in rabbit production, causing high mortality rates around and after weaning, which affect global farm efficiency. Considering the European commitment to responsible antibiotic use in animals, rabbit nutrition and feeding play very important roles in contrasting these problems. Besides, the increasing cost of conventional feed ingredients and the increasing interest towards a circular economy push research to look for alternative raw materials that are able to provide new sources of proteins, energy, or other valuable components for rabbit diets with a sustainable environmental impact.

To overcome these issues, further studies are requested about rabbit nutrition, feeding strategies (e.g., feed restriction, phase feeding), additive supplementation (e.g., phyto-additives, immunostimulants, and probiotic and prebiotic products), and alternative raw materials.

Original manuscripts, which use a multidisciplinary approach and address any aspects of rabbit nutrition and feeding, with a direct impact on the rabbit farming, welfare, health, and meat quality, are therefore welcome. Nutrition and feeding of meat rabbits in conventional and organic systems as well as of fur and pet rabbits are welcome.

Dr. Francesco Gai
Prof. Laura Gasco
Prof. Angela Trocino
Guest Editors

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