Early introduction of solid feed and modulation of the gut microbiota: a nutritional strategy to build and preserve rabbit health

Abstract

In response to the challenges surrounding the sustainability of livestock systems, French rabbit farming actively pursues its efforts towards demedication. Antibiotics are generally used to treat digestive disorders in the post-weaning period and the preventive arsenal to guarantee the sanitary quality of farms remains to be developed. Therefore, digestive troubles around weaning remain a matter of concern. To tackle this challenge, the sector can benefit from active research on nutrition and rabbit digestive physiology. This paper first aims to give a picture of current knowledge regarding the rabbit digestive system around weaning, which leads to the pillars of early-life nutritional strategies, described more in details later. In the light of recent research, it appears essential to take into account the gut microbiota establishment to preserve rabbit gut health. The plasticity of the microbiota, especially in early life, provides opportunities to modulate it, notably through biomimetic dietary interventions. Early introduction of solid feed in the suckling rabbits diet represents an avenue of research to modify the microbiota trajectories. The results of recent studies that tested this strategy in experimental conditions are presented herein. Modulation of the intestinal microbiota establishment in farmed rabbits represents a promising approach that needs to be implemented.