Performance, fatty acids profile and oxidative stability of meat of rabbits fed different lipid sources

Abstract To evaluate the use of different lipid sources in diets of growing rabbits, 60 New Zealand White rabbits were evaluated on performance, carcass traits, meat composition, fatty acid profile and oxidative stability of refrigerated and frozen meat. The experiment was distributed in a randomized block design, in five treatments, with six replicates and two animals per experimental unit (one male and one female). The treatments consisted of five isonutritive diets, with 2.5% soybean oil (SO), sunflower oil (SFO), cottonseed oil (CO), beef tallow (BT) and poultry fat (PF). There was no effect (P > 0.05) of dietary lipid sources on animal performance, carcass traits and meat composition (P > 0.05). Dietary inclusion of beef tallow resulted in a lower proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids in meat compared to vegetable oils. The values of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) indicated higher oxidation in the frozen meat of the animals fed with sunflower oil, cottonseed oil and bovine tallow in their diets. In conclusion, vegetable oils and animal fats can be included in growing rabbit diets without impair performance and meat quality parameters. Dietary inclusion of soybean oil is more advantageous because it promotes the incorporation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and greater lipid stability of refrigerated and frozen rabbit meat.