Rabbit metabolic response and selected meat quality traits: Evaluation of dietary PLX^®23 and LycoBeads^®feed supplement

Abstract

Effects of dietary supplementation of verbascoside and lycopene, alone and in combination, on some blood parameters, plasma oxidative status and meat quality traits in intensively reared rabbits were investigated. The test lasted 60 days and was conducted on 200 weaned‐rabbits, divided into four groups of 50 animals each (5 animals each cage × 10 repetitions). The control group (CON) received a fattening feed without any feed supplements, whereas the experimental groups received the following: the first, an integration in 22 g of PLX®23 (Lippia citriodora extract; VB group) per ton of feed; the second, an integration in 100 g of LycoBeads® (Solanum lycopersicum extract; LIC group) per ton of feed; and the third, an integration of both feed supplements in combination at the same doses (LIC+VB group). The dietary supplementation with Lippia citriodora and Solanum lycopersicum resulted in an improvement of the blood lipid profile, oxidative plasma markers, and hepatic and renal activity of treated growing rabbits. Feed additives also produced meat with a lower content in SFA and an increased PUFA content, and inhibited the lipid oxidation improving the oxidative stability of rabbit meat. The dietary supplementation, even reporting no effects on productive parameters and carcass yield, showed an improvement on several blood parameters, as indicator of animal welfare, and on quality and healthy meat markers.

Effects of Long-Term Supplementation with Brown Seaweeds and Polyphenols in Rabbit on Meat Quality Parameters

“…Moreover, plant extract containing polyphenols increased α tocopherol and retinol levels in several tissues, reducing the oxidative markers [ 45 ]. In fact, an earlier study in pork, rabbit and hares reported that natural extract containing polyphenols enhanced muscle α tocopherol and retinol [ 27 , 46 , 47 ].…”

Functional Ingredients based on Nutritional Phenolics. A Case Study against Inflammation: Lippia Genus

“…Specifically, on rabbits it has achieved an enhancement of lipid markers decreasing total cholesterol by increasing high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc) and decreasing low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), among other effects. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory properties of L. citriodora caused an improvement in liver and renal oxidative markers [106]. In a clinical trial, multiple sclerosis patients, where inflammation is one of the main contributing factors that induces this medical condition, were supplemented with PLX ® capsules in order to evaluate the anti-inflammatory ability of lemon verbena.…”

Effects of dietary levels of brown seaweeds and plant polyphenols on growth and meat quality parameters in growing rabbit

“…A high oxidative stability in the LTL muscles of animals fed plant polyphenols was also reported in pigs, Equidae, goats and rabbit (Cimmino et al, 2018;Rossi et al, 2017a;Rossi, Stella, Ratti, Maghin, Tirloni, & Corino, 2017b;Palazzo et al, 2015;Palazzo et al, 2019). Usually natural antioxidant can reduce lipid oxidation, enhancing meat shelf-life, since they are able to block the oxidative chain propagation reactions.…”

“…The present data agree with Palazzo et al (2015), who reported an increase in vitamin E content in the LTL muscle of New Zealand white rabbit fed a high dosage of Lippia Citriodora extract. Palazzo, Schiavitto, Cinone, and Vizzarri (2019) recently reported an increase in fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A and vitamin E) in LTL muscles of rabbit fed natural extract containing the hydroxycinnamic ester derivative widely distributed in plants, called verbascoside, with a high antioxidant activity (Gil, Enache, & Oliveira-Brett, 2013). Thus, the higher muscle vitamin A and E content is related to the content of phenols, carotenoid, tannins and phlorotannins and polysaccharides in brown seaweed as fucoidans, laminarans and vitamins (Jacobsen et al, 2019) and to the antioxidant activity of plant polyphenols that preserve vitamin E oxidation through several well-known mechanisms (Cimmino et al, 2018).…”