Effect of dietary soybean meal replacement with a combination of white lupine seeds and insect meals on the growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of rabbits

Abstract The aim of this study was to determine the effect of complete dietary replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with combinations of silkworm pupae meal and white lupine seeds (SPM+WLS), mealworm larvae meal and white lupine seeds (MLM+WLS), and Zophobas larvae meal and white lupine seeds (ZLM+WLS) on the growth performance of rabbits, carcass dressing percentage, the proportion of primal cuts in the carcass, the content of selected compounds in the loin, and the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the large intestine. A total of 80 New Zealand White rabbits at 35 days of age were divided into four feeding groups. The control diet (group C) contained 10% SBM. In experimental groups, SBM was completely replaced with SPM+WLS, MLM+WLS, and ZLM+WLS (5% + 5%). Complete replacement of SBM with the above combinations of protein sources had no negative effect on the growth performance of rabbits. The loin of group C rabbits had the highest DM content, the lowest EE content, the lowest proportion of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and the highest levels of retinol and α-tocopherol. The concentrations of SCFAs in the large intestine were higher in rabbits fed diets containing SBM than in their counterparts fed diets supplemented with insect meals and white lupine seeds. This indicates that SBM in rabbit diets can be replaced by a combination of the above components, but further research is needed to optimize the proportion of insect meals and white lupine seeds in rabbit diets and evaluate their effect on the health status and performance of animals.