Abstract The demand for meat from animals raised with the minimum use of antibiotics is growing. Also, the use of prebiotics, antibiotics, type of cut of meat to modify the fatty acid profile and the effects on consumer preferences are still not clear. The present study investigated the fatty acid profile, the health, and risk fatty acid indices and the consumer sensory evaluation of rabbit’s meat fed inulin and flavomycin as additives. Forty-eight (48) New Zealand rabbits were randomly arranged into 4 treatments of 12 animals each. The control group did not receive antibiotic or inulin supplementation. The second group was supplemented with inulin (2.5 g of inulin/kg of feed) while the third group received flavomycin as supplement (0.1 g of flavomycin/kg of feed). The fourth group received both inulin and flavomycin. Inulin addition in rabbit’s diet increases beneficial fatty acids (CLA, P=0.0001; and n3-PUFA, P=0.0001) and enables a better health-promoting index (P=0.0004) while reducing the atherogenic (P=0.001) and thrombogenic indices (P=0.042) of meat. The type of cut of meat (loin, fore legs and hind legs) had a minor impact on changing the fatty acid profile. In contrast, inulin or flavomycin addition showed larger modifications than type of cut of meat on this respect. Flavomycin reduced hedonic properties of meat (taste, P=0.0001; color, P=0.01; and aroma, P=0.0001). Loin tended to be the most preferred cut of meat (P=0.01). Inulin is a good alternative to avoid the utilization of antibiotics in rabbit’s feeding.

Resumen La demanda de animales criados con un uso mínimo de antibióticos está aumentando. Por otra parte, aún no se tiene claridad sobre el uso de prebióticos y antibióticos y el tipo de corte de carne para modificar el perfil de ácidos grasos y sus efectos en las preferencias de los consumidores. El presente estudio investigó el perfil de ácidos grasos, la salud y los índices de riesgo de ácidos grasos, así como la evaluación sensorial por los consumidores de carne de conejos alimentados con inulina y flavomicina como aditivos. Se distribuyeron al azar cuarenta y ocho (48) conejos de Nueva Zelanda en 4 tratamientos de 12 animales cada uno. El grupo testigo no recibió suplementación con antibióticos ni inulina. Al segundo grupo se le suministró como suplemento inulina (2.5 g de inulina/kg de alimento), y al tercer grupo se le suministró flavomicina (0.1 g de flavomicina/kg de alimento). El cuarto grupo recibió tanto inulina como flavomicina. La adición de inulina a la dieta de los conejos incrementa los ácidos grasos benéficos (ALC, P= 0.0001; y n3-PUFA, P= 0.0001) y permite un mejor índice de promoción de la salud (P= 0.0004) a la vez que reduce los índices aterogénico (P= 0.001) y trombogénico (P= 0.042) de la carne. El tipo de corte de carne (lomo, patas delanteras y patas traseras) tuvo un impacto menor en cuanto a modificación del perfil de ácidos grasos. Por el contrario, la adición de inulina o flavomicina mostró modificaciones mayores a este respecto que el tipo de corte de carne. La flavomicina redujo las propiedades hedónicas de la carne (sabor, P= 0.0001; color, P= 0.01, y aroma P= 0.0001). El lomo tendió a ser el corte de carne preferido (P= 0.01). La inulina es una buena alternativa para evitar la utilización de antibióticos en el alimento de los conejos.

Sixty New Zealand rabbits aged 40 days were divided into 4 groups of 15 animals. The control group received a free diet of antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) and inulin. The second group was supplemented with 2.5 g/kg of inulin. The third was administered AGP with 0.1 g/kg of flavomycin. Finally, the fourth group received a 2.5 and 0.1 g/kg inulin/AGP diet. Body weight gain was higher in the control group. Rabbits supplemented with inulin had lower values of triglycerides compared with the control and AGP groups, and their glucose level was significantly lower than those treated with AGP. Additionally, serum calcium and magnesium concentrations were higher than the other groups, particularly with regard to AGP. The bone content with regard to calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in the groups treated with inulin was higher compared with the control; moreover, phosphorus and magnesium were higher than in the AGP group. The thickness of the mucosa and crypt depth in the caecum were significantly higher in rabbits treated with inulin than in the other groups, but especially compared with the AGP group. Also, triglyceride values were lower for rabbits treated with inulin/AGP than for those treated with AGP and the bone magnesium concentration was significantly higher compared with the control group. In addition, inulin was shown to have positive effects on the rabbit, promoting increase in bone and serum calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, decrease in triglyceride levels, and improvement in the caecum (changes in morphology, crypt depth and mucosal thickness).